"Badgastein and the Gasteiner Tal" a Badgastein Travel Page by Tolik

Land Salzburg is a traveler’s paradise. The highest mountain range in Austria, the Hohe Tauern, lies on the southern fringe of Land Salzburg. The Hohe Tauern national park, the biggest national park in Western Europe, encompasses one of the most beautiful areas of the eastern Alps. Very popular with tourists, the Gasteiner Tal (Gastein Valley) has a length of 37 kilometers (25 mi.) and is the longest of the Salzach River valleys. For many centuries the Gastein Valley has been known for its hot springs, but since World War II it has also become a winter sports center. Valley is separated from the main Salzach Valley by a gorge. The hard gorge limestone results in a drop of 150 meters at Klammstein. Famous karstic cavern with stalactites and stalagmites is nearby (40 min. walk).
The Gastein Valley broadens beyond this gorge. The way leads past the communities of Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein to Bad Gastein ( Badgastein), the world famous spa resort in the heart of the Hohe Tauern.