Lace up your walking shoes and step into a dreamy world where treetops become your trail. The Baumkronenweg Kopfing in Upper Austria isn’t just another forest path—it’s a kilometre-long wooden walkway that carries you into the canopy, 10, 12, sometimes 15 metres above the ground. And up there, among spruce, beech and fir, the forest feels different. Quieter, cooler, somehow more alive.
You don’t just march straight through. That would miss the point. Scattered along the way are more than 30 stations—little stops where you wobble across a rope bridge, balance along a beam, pause to press your hand against the bark, or listen for the sound of a bird you can’t quite see. Some are playful, almost like a forest playground; others are thoughtful, quietly educational. The effect is the same though: you slow down. You look, you listen, you actually notice things you’d probably walk straight past on the ground.
Then comes the tower. Forty metres of timber spiralling up above the trees until suddenly, at the top, the whole region spreads out around you. On a clear day, you can see across Austria into Germany, even a hint of the Alps on the horizon. It’s not a tough climb—ramps make it accessible—but it gives you that small rush of effort followed by the reward of space, of distance. And yes, it’s worth the photo stop (everyone takes one).
For kids, or just the young at heart, the adventure continues down below. There’s a huge playground where you’ll find a tunnel slide, giant swings, climbing nets—the kind of things that guarantee squeals of delight. There’s even a barefoot trail where you ditch your shoes and walk across sand, stones, bark, pine cones. It sounds simple, maybe even a little silly, but honestly? Feeling the textures under your feet is strangely grounding.
And here’s the part that makes Kopfing stand out. When the walkway closes at night, you don’t actually have to leave. Right next door is the Baumhotel Kopfing, a treetop hotel with 21 cabins perched about ten metres above the forest floor. Each is tucked into the pines like a modern treehouse, reached by small bridges and stairways. Inside, they’re cozy and simple—lots of pale wood, comfy beds, and windows that frame the green outside. At night, the forest goes almost silent, except for the occasional creak of branches in the wind. In winter, snow muffles everything, turning the cabins into warm little cocoons heated by bio-wood stoves. It feels rustic, but not rough. More like a retreat with a bit of fairy-tale sprinkled in.
Altogether, Baumkronenweg Kopfing is part nature trail, part playground, and part escape from everyday noise. Families come for the adventure, couples come for the treetop hotel, and others just wander in to breathe a little easier. And honestly, you’ll probably leave remembering not just the big views or the towering walkway, but the small things—the crunch of pine needles, the smell of resin in the sun, the laughter of kids echoing through the trees. That’s the real magic here.
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