Wild camping in Austria: is it allowed? (2026)
Free wild camping is prohibited in most Austrian states, but an emergency bivouac high in the mountains, above the tree line, is often tolerated — and in a few states it is even allowed.
What's allowed
- An emergency bivouac (Notbiwak) in bad weather, darkness or exhaustion — tolerated everywhere in Austria
- Planned bivouacking above the tree line in Upper Austria and Styria (Bergfreiheit)
- Walking into the forest on foot via the Forstgesetz — hiking is allowed everywhere
- Staying overnight in a mountain hut, at an official campsite or at a Stellplatz
What's not allowed
- Pitching your tent freely in valleys, forests or nature areas
- Camping in national parks such as Hohe Tauern
- Wild camping in Tyrol, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Vienna (strict)
- Open fires in or near forests and in protected areas
In Austria there is no ‘right to roam’ for camping. The tricky part is that the rules differ from state to state (Bundesland), so there is no simple national answer. The rule of thumb that holds everywhere: valleys, forests and protected areas are off limits, while the high mountains above the tree line are often tolerated.
Above the tree line: the key distinction
An emergency bivouac (Notbiwak) — a single unplanned overnight stay because weather, darkness or exhaustion stops you from going any further — is allowed throughout Austria. But if you’re carrying a tent, cooking gear and an air mattress, the ‘emergency’ argument no longer applies and it counts as wild camping.
Planned bivouacking is legal in a few states with old Bergfreiheit laws that open up the Ödland (wasteland) above the tree line:
- Upper Austria and Styria: camping on unmanaged, uncultivated land above the tree line is allowed (not on alpine pastures/Almen).
- Salzburg and Vorarlberg: not banned in principle in the high mountains, but municipalities may impose local bans — check in advance with the Bezirkshauptmannschaft.
Strict states and national parks
In Tyrol, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Vienna, camping outside campsites is prohibited — including in the mountains. Tyrol even bans it explicitly through its Campinggesetz.
In all national parks (including Hohe Tauern) and nature reserves, both camping and open fires are prohibited. You can only stay overnight at an official campsite, in a mountain hut or in a bivouac box.
Open fires
Open fires are prohibited in and near forests (Forstgesetz) and in protected areas at all. During droughts, full fire bans also apply (Waldbrandverordnung).
Fines
Fines vary widely by state: in Tyrol from around €220, in Carinthia and Burgenland up to roughly €3,600, and in Lower Austria in theory up to €14,500. These are maximum amounts — but deliberate wild camping in a protected area can run high.
Practical tips
- Want to sleep in nature legally? Aim for the high mountains of Upper Austria or Styria, above the tree line.
- Arrive late, leave early, and leave no trace whatsoever.
- With a campervan you’re safe at an official Stellplatz — free overnight stays apply to vehicles just as much as to ‘camping’.