St. Pankraz: Mill Trails, Churches and Alpine Pasture Hikes

St. Pankraz between Village History and Trails

St. Pankraz combines village culture with trails where historical traces and diverse landscapes come together. For a holiday in St. Pankraz, the parish church offers an important insight into the history of the village: it stands on the site of the oldest church in the Ultental Valley, and remnants of the old nave walls have been preserved. The parish organises church services, religious festivals and various events for all age groups. There is also the traditional market in the village centre, which takes place every year in October. In 2026, it is scheduled for Saturday, 17 October, from 08:00 to 14:00.

Churches, Castle Ruins and Historical Traces

The Chapel of St. Sebastian was built in memory of the victims of the plague and features a Baroque altar inside. The small Church of St. Helena stands on a wooded hill above St. Pankraz and dates back to the 14th century. Just before St. Pankraz, the ruins of Eschenlohe Castle lie on a wooded hilltop at the confluence of the Hagenbach and Falschauer rivers. Another historical detail is the Häusl am Stein: it survived the 1882 flood because it had been built on a huge boulder.

Mill Trails and the Falschauer Gorge

The St. Pankraz Mill Trail is ideal for shorter walks. The easy circular trail begins in the village centre, is around 5 kilometres long and takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Along the route are the remains of the Stegmühle and Aichermühle mills, as well as centuries-old millstones near the Linserhof. The St. Pankraz Trifter Trail is also a circular route. It starts in the historic village centre and runs for around 3.8 kilometres along the Falschauer Gorge.

Discover Nature on the Nature Trail

The St. Pankraz Nature Trail is a cultural and nature hike of around 6.3 kilometres along narrow forest paths and gentle meadow trails. It crosses the slopes and ends below Eschenlohe Castle. Sixteen interactive information panels focus on the local flora, native wildlife and the geology of the valley. This makes the trail a combination of exercise and engaging topics for anyone who wants not only to cross the landscape but to take a closer look at it.

Mountain Hike and Mariolberger Alm

The mountain hike to the Hochjoch is an easy hike without any technical difficulties. The hike to Mariolberger Alm begins above St. Pankraz near St. Helena and follows hiking trails No. 5 and No. 9. At the Alpine pasture, visitors are served traditional Alpine dishes and locally produced dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt. Mariolberger Alm is also very easy to reach by bicycle via the forest road.

Reservoir and Varied Day Plans

The Pankraz Reservoir lies around 2.5 kilometres above St. Pankraz at an altitude of 809 metres. It is the lowest-lying and the second-largest reservoir in the valley. The varying trail lengths and characteristics make planning an enjoyable experience: short circular routes around the village are followed by a longer cultural and nature hike, easy mountain hikes or an Alpine pasture route. If you are looking for a hotel in St. Pankraz, you can choose the focus of your holiday according to your preferences, whether village history, nature or mountain landscapes.

For further travel planning, you can also explore Tscherms, Naturns, Lana on the Adige, Merano, Ulten, Nals, Hafling and Schenna.

For the overarching travel overview: Burgraviato.