Mountain biking in Styria

Styria earns its nickname, the "Green March": no other Austrian region is so densely forested, and that is exactly where its mountain biking gets its character. Instead of high-alpine rock steepness like Tyrol, you get soft, natural forest trails over roots, stones and grown berms – plus, in the Bikepark Schladming on the Planai, a genuine piece of World Cup history. From 2004 to 2009 the UCI Downhill World Cups were held here, and the old World Cup downhill is still part of the offering today.

The second flagship sits right on the doorstep of the state capital: the Schöckl Trail Area turns Graz's local mountain into a trail playground, opened up by cable car in minutes and running more than 90 percent on natural ground. The region’s new signature line is the 1000er Trail, an enduro descent of around ten kilometres dropping nearly a thousand vertical metres towards Graz (opened 2026).

In terms of scenery, Styria runs from the Niedere Tauern and the Dachstein region in the north-west, across the wooded highlands around Graz, down to the gentle wine hills of the south. That variety makes it a year-round biking region by DACH standards: high lift parks for high summer, lower-lying forest and flow trails that stay rideable early in the year and well into autumn. Who is it for? Anyone after natural trails, honest forest and a good mix of downhill heritage and family-friendly flow – without the full alpine circus.