The ascent starts at Budam carpark, which get to from Virgen’s district Obermauern and takes about 2 to 3 hours. The driveway from Budam leads to a rather narrow walkway, which you follow across alpine pastures through Großes Nilltal Valley all the way to Nilljochhütte. From here, it is just a few hundred more metres on another alpine driveway before you reach Schmiedleralm.
With homemade alpine products, Schmiedleralm also serves as stop on more extended hiking tours like e.g. to Bonn-Matreier-Hütte. A special delight ate the homemade doughnuts and the delicious peppermint juice.