Rußbach: Hiking, Cross-Country Skiing and the Via Maria

Rußbach can be explored through a variety of scenic destinations and routes. Nearby are the Leonsbergalm and Schwarzensee, as well as a hiking route up Leonsberg, the trail to Halleswiessee, a cross-country ski trail and the Via Maria. If you are planning a stay in Rußbach, these specific destinations can shape your travel plans around a summit, a lake, cross-country skiing or a pilgrimage route.

Alpine Pasture, Summit and Lakes

The Leonsbergalm is located near Rußbach and is an alpine hamlet with 13 huts and extensive pastures. The huts and pastures give this hamlet a distinct Alpine character. A hiking route up Leonsberg starts at the Rußbach junction and leads to the summit at 1,745 m. This gives you two distinct points of interest for planning an outing: the hamlet and its pastoral landscape, and a hike with a clearly identified summit destination.

Schwarzensee is also near Rußbach, at 716 m above Wolfgangsee. The trail around Schwarzensee can be walked in either direction. A road from Rußbach provides access to the circular trail. Road conditions and parking options may change; check them before setting out. Schwarzensee is particularly well suited to hiking in the Rußbach area, including for families.

Hiking Trails and Cross-Country Skiing

Another hiking route leads to Halleswiessee. It runs from Rußbach via the Halleswies forest road, Lippenalm and Fachbergsattel to Halleswiessee. The sequence of forest road, alpine pasture and saddle identifies several distinct landscape features along the route. Check access via the forest road locally before your hike. Unlike the Leonsberg route, this one focuses on a lake rather than a summit. And unlike the circular trail around Schwarzensee, it passes through several named landscape features.

The Rußbach Circular Trail is a 3 km cross-country ski trail for both classic and skating techniques. The starting point is at the bus stop west of the junction by the Kogler Bierstüberl. From there, the route first leads to the Rußbach primary school and then returns to the starting point via several uphill sections. This provides specific landmarks as well as the trail’s length and a return to the start. The trail’s 3 km refers to its length, while Leonsberg’s 1,745 m refers to the summit elevation; these figures answer different questions when choosing an outing.

Pilgrimage Route Through Rußbach

The Via Maria, a Bavarian-Austrian Marian pilgrimage route, runs from Altötting to Mariazell. Rußbach lies on the stage from Sankt Wolfgang to Ebensee am Traunsee. This distinction is useful when planning your trip: the two endpoints mark the full route, while the section through Rußbach belongs to a specific stage. Check current trail conditions locally before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt, Traunkirchen, Kirchham bei Vorchdorf, Altmünster on Lake Traunsee, Scharnstein, Gschwandt, Sankt Konrad, Moosham.

Back to the broader travel overview: Gmunden.