Dunkelstein in the Dunkelsteinerwald

At 625 m above sea level, the Dunkelstein is the highest point of the southern Dunkelsteinerwald. The Dunkelsteiner circular hiking trail (No. 653), which is 115 km long in total, leads over the Dunkelstein to Mauer, to Schallaburg Castle, to Melk Abbey and finally to Aggstein Ruin.

But already the partial route from Hafnerbach (church square) to the Dunkelsteiner summit offers some special features along the way: along the Zeno brook, the statue of St. Zeno can be visited after Kornig. Via Stein, a steep path leads to the castle ruins of Hohenegg, the castle steeped in history from the 11th century. It is surrounded by the freely accessible Ruhewald - an urn cemetery forest with many beautiful rocky places. Continue on well-marked forest roads and hiking trails to Dunkelstein. Not far from the summit, an iron high stand (22 m) was erected in 1931 for land surveying. It was blown up by the German Wehrmacht in 1945, but its concrete foundations have survived to this day. Sufficient provisions are recommended for the trail, as there are no places to stop for refreshments. In Hafnerbach, several establishments offer refreshments and overnight stays. The provincial capital St. Pölten is about 10 minutes away by car.

Location
Mostviertel/NÖ-Mitte, not far from the provincial capital St. Pölten

Viewpoints
At the summit, the view reaches as far as Maria Langegg and the Alps.

Accessibility for hikers

• Hafnerbach - Ruin Hohenegg - Dunkelstein (route about 6 km)
• Lauterbach - Dunkelstein (route about 2 km)
• Neidling - Bildbuche - Dunkelstein (route about 7 km)

Also accessible from Häusling, Karlstetten or Matzengraben bridge between Windschnur and Thal.

Duration
Depending on the starting point, the hike to the summit of the Dunkelstein and back takes about 3 to 4 hours.

Extra tip: By car you can also drive directly to the ruin Hohenegg (parking lot) and visit it. A detour walk through the "Ruhewald" - a piece of forest that serves as an urn cemetery with large rocks and a place of devotion - is a good idea. From here it is only a "stone's throw" to the Dunkelsteiner summit via the marked forest roads and paths.