The new KühSpielplatz – family fun in Kühtai

09 August 2024

Post originally written in: Deutsch

We all love summer, the sun and, yes, the heat. But sometimes it's just too much of a good thing - especially in the city. For me, there's no better place to escape the heat than the mountains! The higher, the better. The place Kühtai lies at around 2,020 meters, making it one of the highest ski resorts in Austria. It promises guaranteed snow in winter as well as cooling off and wonderful mountain hikes in summer. If you are looking for sporting challenges, beautiful nature, clear mountain lakes and rustic huts, Kühtai is the place for you. But it's not just mountain sports enthusiasts and nature lovers who will get their money's worth. There is also plenty on offer for families, such as the newly built Küh playground. And this (and more) is what my blog post is all about.

The new Küh playground

There are supposed to be children and husbands who don't like hiking, at least that's what I've heard. For all those who have just such people at home and still don't want to miss out on mountain air, the "hike" to theDreiSeen -Hütte with the newly built Cooling playground perfect! Absolutely perfect. You arrive by car or bus, park directly in front of the DreiSeenBahn - a detachable 4-seater chairlift with weather protection hoods - and ride comfortably up to 2,410 meters above sea level. From there, it's just a few minutes downhill to the DreiSeen-Hüttewhere a real highlight awaits: the adventure playground.

A Trojan cow

I've been a mother for almost nine years now and I'd say I've seen my fair share of playgrounds. But the Cow playground is something very special. Even from a distance, you can see the large wooden cow with its calf, which is very reminiscent of a Trojan horse. But thankfully there are no Greek warriors inside, just great climbing opportunities. At over six and a half meters, it is perhaps the largest wooden cow in the world. And if not, it is certainly impressive.

Everything in view from the deckchair

Oversized wooden letters form the word Kühtai. They are also far more than decorative and serve as creative play and climbing opportunities for children. The adventure playground also offers other attractions such as two wooden ball tracks, which playfully demonstrate elements of alpine farming and make cowbells ring. Climbing, swinging, sliding, hiding - we had a lot of fun. Another plus point: the playground is right in front of the terrace at DreiSeen-Hütte. Perfect for parents who want to make themselves comfortable in one of the deckchairs and watch their children play. Provided their children let them..

Hiking trails for every level

I really appreciate the fact that there are so many different options in Kühtai. If you prefer to take it a little easier or are out and about with small children, you can take the DreiSeenBahn. This allows you to enjoy the high alpine mountain world without having to exert yourself. Owners of a Welcome-Card-plus can even do this free of charge for free. From the mountain station, you hike down to the DreiSeen hut, past the Upper and Lower Plenderlessee. Two beautiful, clear mountain lakes connected by a small stream. If you are looking for more exercise, Kühtai offers a wide selection of wonderful hikes Hikes - also for families.

The DreiSeen-Runde

A beautiful hike that I like to do with my family is the ThreeLakesRound. You can also take the DreiSeenBahn here, but it doesn't end at the DreiSeen-Hütte. You hike on to the middle Plenderleslake, then to the Hirschebenlake and from there down to Kühtai, past the high altitude performance center and back to the valley station. As there is no ascent and it is basically only downhill, this hike is not particularly strenuous. But you can also do it the other way round. In other words, you start at the Kühtai tourist office and then hike to Hirschebensee, on to the middle Plenderleslake and to the DreiSeen hut. I personally prefer this option because I prefer walking uphill to downhill. But that is of course a matter of taste. If you're interested, you can take a look at this blog entry in which I've described the route in more detail. You'll also find a few ideas on what to do on hot days if you don't want to go to the swimming pool. Oh yes, for holders of the Welcome Card there is the possibility to do the Three Lakes Tour guided and in a group (more information here)

Even more family hikes

These two hikes are still on our bucket list: On the one hand the Circular hike around the reservoir Längental. According to the route description, this is a leisurely family hike that can be completed in around 35 - 40 minutes. Almost more tempting for me is the High panorama trail to the reservoir Finstertal. As I said, we haven't done the hike itself yet, but we have often admired the gigantic dam wall. It reminds me of a James Bond backdrop. You take the DreiSeenBahn, make a detour to the DreiSeen-Hütte and of course to the Cooling playground. You then hike along the panoramic trail to the Finstertaler reservoir. A visit to the energy showroom is a must before you hike either on the marked and signposted trail or on the asphalt path back to Kühtai to the valley station of the DreiSeenBahn.