Mariensee (Biotop) - Hochwechsel (leichterer Anstieg)

Access to starting point:
Leave the A2 Graz - Wien motorway at the Aspang Markt exit and follow the road to the mentioned place. When we arrive in the town, follow the signs for the settlement Mariensee, and at the end of the town turn left again towards the settlement Mariensee (straight on to St. Corona am Wechsel). After approximately 8.5 km of further driving we reach the centre of the settlement Mariensee, and we continue driving. The settlement soon ends, and we continue along the Großer Pestingbach stream to the marked parking area where there is a biological toilet.

Route description:
At the end of the parking area we turn sharply left from the asphalt road onto a side road marked with forest road signs and hiking signs for Hochwechsel and Marienseer Schwaig. We continue on the gravel road where a path from the lower starting point joins us a few minutes higher up. We continue towards the nearby house at the end of the road, but before it we turn slightly right onto the marked footpath that bypasses the house on the right side.
A short traverse ascent to the right follows and after crossing the pasture fence we reach a marked junction where the path splits.
We continue straight on the gentler path (Leichterer Anstieg), while the steep path (Schindlsteig) leads left. We continue traversing to the right and cross the forest road twice; at the third crossing the path turns to the left side. Higher up we cross one of the forest roads again, and at approximately 1350 m we join the steep path. A little further on, at approximately 1450 m, the path via the Marienseer Wasserfall waterfall joins us, which had split from ours already at the starting point.
A few more minutes of ascent through the forest follow, and after crossing the pasture fence we ascend mostly over grassy terrain to the alpine pasture Marienseer Schwaig.
We continue following the signs for Hochwechsel, initially crossing several pasture fences. An ascent over the pasture area follows; a little further we cross a poorer forest road. Higher up the pasture widens, the path becomes less distinct and harder to follow in places, but if we carefully follow the markings we stay on the right direction. In the final part of the increasingly scenic ascent the path becomes clearly visible again and somewhat steeper; we follow it to the hut Wetterkoglerhaus am Hochwechsel, behind which near the chapel lies the highest point of the summit Hochwechsel.

Starting point to Marienseer Schwaig 1:30, Marienseer Schwaig - Hochwechsel 0:40.

The description refers to conditions in July 2026; photos are from October 2025 and July 2026.

Along the route: Marienseer Schwaig (1478m)

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