Is it permissible to set up a tent on the mountain? Can you stay overnight in a camper van everywhere? Wild camping in the Austrian mountains can quickly lead to a maze of laws. Guide from the Austrian Alpine Association.
Unlike in Scandinavia, there is no legal basis in Austria for wilderness camping. The regulations in this country are somewhat restrictive and vary widely from state to state.
Camping in the woods
The Austrian Forest Act 1975 (a federal law) guarantees the right to free access to forests throughout the country, but “camping in the dark, camping…” is expressly excluded.
Camping in the woods is illegal throughout Austria unless the property owner has given their express consent.
Camping in the wastelands of the Alps
“There are different legal regulations for areas above the tree line, depending on the federal state,” says Lilijana Dagostin, Head of Spatial Planning and Nature Conservation at the Austrian Alpine Association.
In Carinthia, Lower Austria, and Tyrol, outdoor camping is not permitted and violations can result in heavy penalties. In Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, and Vorarlberg, there is no express nationwide ban on wilderness camping, but municipalities can impose restrictions. Therefore, prior clarification is advised.
“If the planned overnight stay is in protected areas, the dream of a night under the open sky will also explode in these federal states.”
Departments of responsible conservation areas, nature conservation and sometimes also tourism departments of state governments or county departments (county authorities) are available for information and information. A detailed overview of the legal regulations in individual federal states is available here to exist.
shelters rather than wild camping
“The mountainous area is an ecologically sensitive area with different use interests. This is the reason for the rather restrictive regulations in Austria,” explains Lilijana Dagosten. The good news: Austria has a dense network of mountain huts. Although their maintenance is associated with significant costs for the Alpine Club, mountaineers can use them inexpensively – and certainly legally.
However, if you have to sleep outside due to an injury or a sudden change in weather, there are no negative consequences to worry about.
“An unplanned alpine emergency camp (temporary bivouac) is permitted throughout Austria.”
What do you do if you are On the Should the toilet?
The Alpine Club is based on education: “Our campaign Respect AmBerg You adhere to a nature-friendly and socially acceptable behavior on the mountain and want to avoid conflicts,” says Liliana Dagostin. This also includes an often-taboo theme that is especially urgent when camping in the wild: the need to be in nature.
The Alpine Society wants to help protect the sensitive high mountain region and avoid conflicts with other inhabitants of this habitat. Under the slogan “Is everything sausage?!The Alpine Society provides advice for emergencies and draws the attention of nature lovers to the fact that what they leave behind can severely alter alpine ecosystems. For example, tissues take up to five years to degrade.
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Credits: Austrian Alpine Club text, Alpine Club title image / Thomas Wanner
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