Guenster Waterfall

Krakaudorf, Styria (Steiermark), Austria

About Guenster Waterfall

For Subscribers Only. See Membership Options.

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

The Guenster Waterfall (or Gunster Falls, but more accurately Günster Wasserfall or Guenster Wasserfall in German) was certainly another one of the quieter waterfalls that I’ve encountered during our epic Summer 2018 trip to Austria. I’ve also seen it spelled Guenstner Waterfall, Günstner Wasserfall, or Gunstner Falls.

With a cumulative drop of 65m over at least three main drops having an average flow of 200-250 L/s, it was also said to be the highest waterfall in the state of Styria.

Gunstner_Waterfall_084_07142018 - The Guenster Waterfall or Günster Wasserfall
The Guenster Waterfall or Günster Wasserfall

That’s saying something because I swore I saw something taller at the Steirischer Bodensee earlier on in the trip.

Nevertheless, even with this superlative to hang its hat on, I think the main reason why this particular waterfall didn’t quite have the same fanfare as most of the other waterfalls was its location.

It didn’t seem to be on any route that tended to get a lot more tourism traffic, since it sat towards the mountainous and less-populated south-central part of Austria near Krakaudorf.

Still, the relative peace and quiet of this excursion was very refreshing.

Guenster Waterfall Trail Description

Gunstner_Waterfall_031_07142018 - Passing by this animal farm on the trail to the Guenster Waterfall (or Günstner Wasserfall)
Passing by this animal farm on the trail to the Guenster Waterfall (or Günstner Wasserfall)

There were actually a pair of parking areas to start the walk to the Guenster Waterfall (see directions below).

The nearest one was in a clearing by a cafe and little animal park, but I happened to start at a more distant car park which passed by the nearest one anyways.

That added an additional 600m (maybe 10-15 minutes) of walking in each direction.

From the nearest car park, after only 160m or so, I reached a signed fork, which turned out to be the beginning and end of a loop.

Gunstner_Waterfall_042_07142018 - Context of the walkway skirting alongside the Guenster Waterfall (or Günster Wasserfall)
Context of the walkway skirting alongside the Guenster Waterfall (or Günster Wasserfall)

So I kept right, which put me on a path that went right to the Guenster Waterfalls immediately.

After passing a little money drop (which was strangely open so anything you put in there might surely be taken unless it’s cheap change), I found myself on a boardwalk hugging the adjacent cliff wall.

Then after a few paces more, I was right in front of the bottom of the Guenster Waterfall with its multi-tiered drop while also spanned by a bridge over its brink.

The trail continued as it climbed up a series of steep steps alongside the waterfall before reaching a junction.

Gunstner_Waterfall_066_07142018 - Continuing the steep climb above the Guenster Waterfall towards even more elevated overlooks
Continuing the steep climb above the Guenster Waterfall towards even more elevated overlooks

At this junction, I couldn’t go straight and follow that path to the footbridge spanning the brink of the falls because it was closed due to repair work that was going on.

So instead, I went left and up another steep series of steps before I found myself at the top.

At that point, I then descended towards the cliff edge on the left, where there were a couple of top down lookouts over the entirety of the Guenster Waterfall.

That said, there were some some cliff and foliage obstructions ensuring that I’d never really get a clean look.

Gunstner_Waterfall_094_07142018 - Comprehensive top down look at a couple of the drops of the Guenster Waterfall (or Günstner Wasserfall) from an overlook opposite the steep gorge
Comprehensive top down look at a couple of the drops of the Guenster Waterfall (or Günstner Wasserfall) from an overlook opposite the steep gorge

After having my fill of these spots, I then descended the slope some more before rejoining the start of the loop.

Finally, I continued back the way I came to complete the excursion.

Overall, I had spent about an hour away from the car even with inadvertent extra hiking so I’d imagine that it would take most people less time to fully experience the Guenster Waterfall.

Authorities

The Guenster Waterfall resides near the town of Krakaudorf in the state of Styria (Steiermark), Austria. It may be administered by a private owner residing in Krakaudorf. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Krakaudorf website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: krakaudorf, styria, steiermark, murau, austria, waterfall



Visitor Comments:

Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...

No users have replied to the content on this page


Share your thoughts about what you've read on this page

You must be logged in to submit content. Refresh this page after you have logged in.

Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:

If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...

Günstner Waterfall (Austria) September 5, 2014 7:52 pm by Ruth Williams - You will find the Günstner Waterfall located in the Austrian province of Styria between the villages of Schöder and Krakaudorf. From the road an unpaved track leads to a parking area and then it is only a ten minute walk to the fall. The Günstner Waterfall is 65m high and approximately 250 litres of water… ...Read More

Have you been to a waterfall? Submit a write-up/review and share your experiences or impressions

Review A Waterfall

Nearest Waterfalls

The Waterfaller Newsletter

The Waterfaller Newsletter is where we curate the wealth of information on the World of Waterfalls website and deliver it to you in bite-sized chunks in your email inbox. You'll also get exclusive content like...

  • Waterfall Wednesdays
  • Insider Tips
  • User-submitted Waterfall Write-up of the Month
  • and the latest news and updates both within the website as well as around the wonderful world of waterfalls


How To Build A Profitable Travel Blog In 4 Steps

Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.