Whether and when the biking season ends is still determined by your own personal preferences. There are even some official bike and trail parks that remain open throughout the winter. Even in Austria, where biking in the forest is generally prohibited from November to April.
All trails that are not officially signposted for mountain bikers are prohibited in Austria - a fact that still makes people shake their heads, but to which they have now become accustomed. But what you tend to overlook when pedalling past such forest road signs is the small print underneath. It says that the clearance for cyclists (e.g. in Tyrol) only applies from 1 April to 31 October. In other words: in the winter months, it is also forbidden to cycle on these forest roads.
However, some Austrian federal states have reacted and are keeping at least a few official trail parks open in the low mountain ranges. These include the only bike park in the Alps that is actually open all year round, including the lift.
Thank goodness this problem doesn't exist in Germany. Here, bikers are allowed to ride on all paths that are permitted in summer, even in winter. Here, it can only happen from time to time that forestry machines block the way as they are often travelling through the forest on frozen ground. Nevertheless, you should voluntarily adapt your rides to the shortened daylight hours and give the foraging game a rest from dusk onwards. Some of the official trail parks are also open in winter:
Winter bike spots in Germany
Harz: Trailpark Harz near Ilsenburg
No entrance fee, open all year round and no hikers allowed on the trails - you just have to pedal up yourself. The Harz Trail Park in Ilsenburg, on the steep northern edge of the low mountain range, is the newest bike spot of a total of 6 bike parks in the Harz. Since 2022, the local MTB club has been nurturing and maintaining kilometres of enduro descents, which are closed to hikers, with mainly natural elements such as steep, dusty terrain, short counter-climbs, roots, choppy steps and rocks. From time to time, however, there are also a few artificial features to bridge bodies of water or ride around rocks. Attention: north side! The trail sections in the lower area are in the shade early on and can be permanently frozen and therefore slippery!
The most popular trails
- Wassertal Trail: 1.6 km / 273 vertical metres / difficult
- Waldbad Trail: 0.6 km / easy - medium
- Jack the Ripper: 1.6 km / 271 tm / heavy
- Kammweg: 2.4 km / 310 tm / medium
A total of 9.8 kilometres and 1205 metres of legal, challenging trail fun await in the mountains around Ilsenburg and another line is currently under construction (an overview can be found at Trailforks). The project was supported by the Rose company with a battery of trail tools. However, as the maintenance of the trails is quite time-consuming, guests should definitely use the green "caravan site in Sandtal". You can spend the night here, but also park your car during the day. Part of the parking fee goes to the Trailpark Harz e. V. association and thus directly to the voluntary trail maintenance!
Info about the park: trailparkharzev.de
Harz: Racepark Schulenberg
Racepark Schulenberg in the Harz Mountains is also open all year round: there are now 6 different trails here, each over a kilometre long. However, if you have good skills, you will be in the best of company here. Two of the runs have a, let's say, dark blue level of difficulty for more advanced beginners. Otherwise, if the weather is nice, simply drop by the bottom station of the T-bar lift at the weekend, enjoy some mulled wine and a grilled sausage and watch the pros practising their jumps.
- Only open three days in advance (Wednesdays) if the weather forecast for the weekend is good and if you book in advance.
- Day ticket drag lift: 35 Euro
- Info: outdoorwerkstatt.eu
Freiburg: 11 trails in the southern Black Forest
More than 10 trails now wind their way down from Freiburg's local peaks Rosskopf (737 m), Kybfelsen (837 m) and Schönberg. A network that was established by the local bike community a few years ago against the two-metre rule in Baden-Württemberg and has been lovingly nurtured and maintained ever since. There is no shuttle or lift here, but there are regular rides and riding technique courses. Riding the trails is free of charge, as is downloading the tracks on trailguide.net
Info: mountainbike-freiburg.com
The best winter bike spots in Austria
As mentioned at the beginning, trails and forest roads in Austria may generally not be used by bike from 1 November to 31 March. Not even if they are officially open to bikers in summer. The periods vary slightly depending on the federal state, but if you are caught in the forest at the wrong time, you could be fined heavily.
But there are a few trail parks in the country and even a bike park that are actually open all winter long
Burgenland: Geschriebenstein trails
Burgenland awaits in the far east of Austria, just beyond Vienna. There, the Geschriebenstein (884 m), the easternmost tip of the Alps, towers into the sky. Not only does the border to Hungary stretch across its summit, but also an exciting singletrail network totalling 40 kilometres:
4 long trail descents and several trail park laps with ups and downs. All of these are designed routes that can be ridden all year round and are even served by a shuttle bus.
- Day ticket for trail use: 5-12 euros (can only be purchased online)
- Day ticket shuttle: 29 euros (payable in the shuttle)
- Info and overview: trails.burgenland.info
Graz: The only continuously open bike park in the Alps
A little further south, not far from the Geschriebenstein, lies the city of Graz. Half surrounded by the foothills of the Alps, it is open to the south. A breath of spring-like Mediterranean air often blows through its pretty old town streets, making every snowflake uncomfortable. That's why the local mountain, Schöckl, was completely geared towards mountain bikers years ago. When it's not stormy or there's a few days of overhaul (spring overhaul 23 February 26), the cable car is in operation. However, the same applies here: The better the riding technique, the more fun the lift ticket will be. There is also a flow section in the centre of the new 300 natural trail and a connection to the Johann Waller Jumpline. The new 1000er towards Graz is still under construction, but should be complete by spring.
And then there are two somewhat easier trail spots around Graz that can also be ridden throughout the winter: the Radlager Mountain Bike Trails and the Westside Trails on the mountainside opposite.
- Day ticket: 41 Euro
- Info: schoeckl-trail-area.at, radlager-mtb.at
Upper Austria: The Uppertrails of the Linz Bike Community
Behind "Uppertrails" is an illustrious community of trail shapers who live off donations and have set themselves the goal of creating a comprehensive, legal and, above all, free-to-use trail network in the province of Upper Austria, which is also open to everyone in winter (9am-5pm). Their award-winning commitment under the motto "by mountain bikers for mountain bikers" ranges from marathons with the authorities to trail construction and signposting to storm damage maintenance. And the success speaks for itself:
- Steyregg: 4 Pfenningberg trails
- Ottenschlag/Alberndorf: 3 Roadlberg trails
- Gallneukirchen: 7 Linzerberg trails
- Obertraun: 5 trails in the BSFZ Bike Trail Area
Info: uppertrails.at
Also legal and accessible all year round in Upper Austria: the 2 kilometre long Benitrail at the Grillparz summit near Kirchdorf (Kremstal). Info: kremstal-trails.at
Lower Austria
- Trail Area Göttweig: 13 lines on the Göttweiger Berg in the Wachau, Info: trailwerk.at
- Muckenkogel: The "Mucki Trail", south of Lilienfeld, is fun all year round with a length of 11.7 kilometres, a fairly challenging second section and accessibility by chairlift. Info: mostviertel.at
- Blassenstein trail zone The 3 kilometre long downhill run near Scheibbs in the Mostviertel region with skills area is open almost all year round. Info: mostviertel.at
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
