Wasserlochklamm

Useful Information

Location:	Palfau 69, 8923 Palfau. (47.698362, 14.873791)
Open:	05-APR to OCT daily 9-sunset. Summer School Holidays 8-sunset. [2022]
Fee:	Gorge: free. Klammwanderung: Adults EUR 6.80, Children (6-15) EUR 4, Children (0-5) free, Family (2+2) EUR 17. Groups: every 11th visitor free. Kombiticket Nothklamm/Wasserlochklamm: Adults EUR 10, Children (6-15) EUR 6, Children (0-5) free, Family (2+2) EUR 26. [2020]
Classification:	Gorge Karst Spring Intermittent Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=900 m, VR=350 m.
Guided tours:	self guided, D=2.5h
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	ÖAV (2005): Palfauer Wasserlochklamm, In: Der Gebirgsfreund, Jg. 116/Sommer.
Address:	GeoRama, Gams bei Hieflau 145, 8922 Gams bei Hieflau, Tel: +43-3633-2201-50. E-mail: Wasserlochklamm, Palfau 69, 8923 Palfau, Tel: +43-3633-2201-51. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1986-1992	trail built.
2008	outlook erected.

Description

The Wasserlochklamm is a rather young venture, it was developed from 1986 to 1992 by the town Palfau. Most other gorges in Austria were developed more than a century ago. The gorge starts with a 65 m long bridge, followed by numerous stairs, wooden bridges and elevated trails. The five waterfalls have a total height of 152 m and at the end is a huge karst spring named Wasserloch from which the river emerges. This is one of the strange intermittend karst springs, or better an ebbing and flowing well. At irregular intervals, the water level of the spring suddenly rises within 15 minutes, and it spouts up to five cubic metres of water per second into the depths of the gorge. The reason is obviously a siphon in the cave behind the spring, but cave divers who explored it to a depth of 76 m could not find the reason until now.

You can also take a 4 h rafting tour on the Salza, which roars through the gorge. In the gorge itself, you can plunge into the waters via a diving board and splash around in the calmer waters.