Thayatal National Park: Wild River Valley in the Waldviertel

Between steep rock faces and dense floodplain forest, the Thaya river winds through one of Central Europe's wildest valleys. Thayatal National Park near Hardegg in the northern Waldviertel forms a cross-border protected area of rare landscape density together with the Czech Podyjí National Park.

Austria's Smallest National Park

At just under 1,330 hectares, Thayatal is the smallest of Austria's six national parks by area, yet one of the most species-rich. Within a small space, dry rocky steppes, damp floodplain forests, and untouched mixed woodland alternate, a mosaic of habitats that offers refuge to rare plants and animals such as the wildcat.

Borderless Wilderness With the Czech Republic

Since 2000, Thayatal National Park and the Czech Podyjí National Park have worked closely together, jointly protecting a river valley that remained largely untouched during the Cold War as a border zone. This decades-long isolation is today the reason for the region's exceptional natural richness.

Hiking Between Rock and River

From the national park house near Hardegg, marked trails lead to viewpoints such as the Umlaufberg loop, where the Thaya flows in a wide bend around a forested ridge. The combination of Hardegg Castle, river landscape, and wilderness makes the Thaya valley one of the most impressive hiking areas in the Waldviertel.