We spent our summer vacation in St. Johann in Pongau in Austria’s Salzburg region unaware that we would be living right next to the most epic kid-friendly adventure park – Geisterberg Adventure Mountain.
It opens during summer months and is essentially a ghost-themed (Gspensti & Spuki are the resident ghosts that host you and take you on an adventure) amusement park that takes you up the mountain and into the woods till you reach the peak and have an uninterrupted 360-degree view of the majestic Austrian Alps.
The trail starts at Alpendorf Playground at the valley station in Sankt Johann-Alpendorf. It has a giant zip-line, several slides, swings, and so much more. However, I don’t recommend spending too much time here because the best part awaits you up the mountain and you do want to save energy for the hike. Purchase gondola tickets here and take the ride up (about 15 minutes) while also admiring the scenic views.
Tip: at the ticket office, ask for a free map, ghost medallion, and the funny ghost stickers! The map shows where you (that is, your kid) can find the individual ghost stations and also solve some puzzles to earn points for your ghost medallion! Once you have completed all the tasks, you can hand in your ghost medallion at the ticket office in the valley station and receive a small gift!
Once you get to the top station, you follow the trail up the mountain stopping to admire cows, and horses and playing at the mini playgrounds.
Eventually, you’ll get to the Geisterberg “train stop”. From here, you have two options: to continue the hike on foot, or take a ride up the mountain on the Geisterberg train (in truth, it is a tractor-pulled bus) which runs every half hour, making a short stop at the middle station (at the Buchauhütte restaurant) and then continuing to the center of the Geisterberg. The ride takes about 15 minutes.
The entire hiking path is dotted with over 40 large and small play stations (a haunted castle, water games, climbing towers, swings, animal farm, bird’s nests, a climbing dragon, a haunted lake and numerous slides) and is divided into four expansive sections – ‘spooky’ worlds of the ghosts of the earth, fire, water and air.
The trail aims to not only physically engage kids, but also educate and immerse them in nature. As a parent, it was impossible not to have my inner kid awaken, I wanted to jump on every slide and climb every tower. As for the views, no matter which side you look, you’ll have your jaw drop.
Fun fact, Geisterberg is part of the Snow Space Salzburg, one of the largest ski resorts in the Alps with 12 peaks and 5 valleys, a total of 210 kilometers of pistes, and 70 ultra-modern cable cars! This makes the area one of the best destinations any time of the year, but especially during winter ski season. And with a mountain panorama like this, I could sit here every day and not get bored.
Alexander and I particularly enjoyed the final part of the park where, in addition to the playground, there was a stream running down the top of the mountain and kids could cool off and splash and play after a long hike.
TIP: once you get back to the gondola station, don’t forget to take a photo. There is a PhotoPoint set up next to the mountain station of the Alpendorf gondola lift. After taking your picture you use your lift card number to view your photo, print it out, or share it with your friends at home.
Here are a few details and tips about visiting the Geisterberg Adventure Mountain in St. Johann:
Ideal age group: I think the ideal age to visit this park would be for kids aged 3+. While younger toddlers have fun anywhere and there are a few play areas suitable for tiny tots, the majority of the playgrounds were more advanced and required physical size, dexterity, and coordination that my 20-month-old didn’t have.
Opening hours: Generally, the opening hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., every day. The last gondola leaves at 5 p.m. so you MUST make it back to the gondola station by 5 p.m.. However, always consult the website for the latest information because operation hours depend on the weather.
Tickets: It is cheaper to get tickets online rather than at the cash desk. Online, adult tickets cost approx.. €30, kids under the age of 3 cost €8,30 and over 3 – €18. The purchase of the discounted online ticket is only possible until 11:59 p.m. of the previous day. On the day of the visit, the regular ticket price applies. TIP: The third and all additional children of the same family ride for free! Proof of family relationship/family card is required at the ticket office! The trail is dog friendly and a cable car ticket for dogs costs € 6,20.
How much time should you plan for the visit: Ideally, all day. To enjoy the park to its fullest, I recommend planning your visit for at least 3 hours, or ideally, 5 hours to a whole day.
Is the trail stroller friendly? Technically yes, but many of the sections are steep, and I honestly was exhausted at the end of the day. You’ll need a stroller with good wheels or carry toddlers in a front or rear back-pack style carrier.
Are there food stations available? As always, bring snacks and water. However, there are two traditional mountain huts on the Geisterberg – Buchauhütte and Gernkogelalm – where you can take a quality break and enjoy regional dishes and cold drinks. Needless to say, there are playgrounds and even mini-farms there to give kids plenty to do while you catch a breath.
And, guess what?! Geisterberg is only one of a few “adventure mountains” in the area! The Snow Space Salzburg is home to Wagrainis Grafenberg, woom bike area in Wagrain, the KUHbidu Adventure Trail in Wagrain, and Flori’s Adventure Path in Flachau. Definitely mark all of these down if you plan to visit!
As you can see, there is plenty to explore in this region and I couldn’t recommend it enough for your next family trip to Austria!
As always, I’m here if you have any questions or would like to hear more about my personal experience visiting this spot.
xoxo, nano