6 National Parks to explore in Austria
Austria is consistently ranked in the top 20 richest countries in the world by GDP per capita terms. The country has achieved a high standard of living and in 2018 was ranked 20th in the world for its Human Development Index.
The Gesäuse National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Styria. It spreads over 12.000 hectares of land and is home to numerous plant and animal species. It covers large parts of the Gesäuse range within the Ennstal Alps and the steep water gap of the Enns river between Admont and Hieflau. The area also covers parts of the municipal areas of Johnsbach, Weng, Landl and Sankt Gallen.
A national park within the Northern Limestone Alps mountain range, located in the state of Upper Austria, Austria. The park was established in 1997.The park contains Central Europe's largest forested area, as well the largest karst region in Austria. It has numerous hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. The former Steyr Valley Railway, with sections now the Steyrtal rail trail, pass through the park in the Molln area.
Donau-Auen National Park covers 93 square kilometres in Vienna and Lower Austria and is one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube in Middle Europe. The Danube, which still flows freely here, is still a lifeline to many and a dynamic creative force, forming an abundance of habitats. This is how the protected area ensures that the numerous endangered species there can survive.
The Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park impresses with its incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Nestled between the last foothills of the Alps and the Little Hungarian Plain, you will find an incomparable mosaic of meadows, salt lakes and, last but not least, the Neusiedler See with its reed belt. The national park was founded in 1993 and attracts thousands of visitors every year with its dense network of trails and optimal infrastructure.
Nockberge National Park was a national park in Upper Carinthia, Nockberge in Austria. It was established in 1987 and dissolved in 2012. In July 2012, it was converted into Salzburger Lungau und Kärntner Nockberge, a UNESCO designated biosphere reserve. Originally a ski area had been planned in what is now the core zone of the Nockberge since the early 1970s, when the region was opened up with the Tauern Autobahn.
A majestic national park which was located in the eastern side of Austria along the northern border shared with the Czech Republic. The park covers an area of 5.02 square miles making it the smallest of Austria’s national parks. Its vegetation includes forested banks along with variegated iris, yellow lady’s slipper, Turk’s-cap lily, and the Cornelian cherry.