Schlögener Schlinge, River meander in Haibach ob der Donau, Austria

The Schlögener Schlinge is a river loop of the Danube located between Passau and Linz that has carved deeply through the granite highlands of Mühlviertel. The Danube winds here in an almost symmetrical arc, with the river channel spanning roughly 460 feet (140 meters) across and the viewpoint rising approximately 300 feet (90 to 100 meters) above the water.

The loop is an epigenetic gorge: the Danube already flowed across a plain over the Bohemian Massif and cut down into the rising bedrock, keeping its meandering course. At the first bend it turns 180 degrees from southeast to northwest, followed by a second 180-degree turn with a wider radius. The Aschach power plant now backs up the water here, and the bend was once among the most dangerous stretches for Danube navigation.

The loop takes its name from Schlögen, the Haibach ob der Donau district on the southern bank; "Schlinge" is German for a loop or noose. In 2008 residents voted it "Naturwunder Oberösterreichs" in an online poll by the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten, choosing it from 22 candidates with the most votes by a wide margin.

The viewpoint is reachable from a parking area at Hotel Donauschlinge via a marked hiking trail that covers about 1.5 kilometers and climbs roughly 590 feet (180 meters). Sturdy footwear is recommended for the walk, which is suitable for visitors with reasonable fitness levels.

The loop lies between Danube kilometres 2186.5 and 2180.5, and in 2008 locals voted it "Natural Wonder of Upper Austria" in an online poll by the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten, beating 21 other proposals by a wide margin. The upper Danube Valley here is held back by the Aschach power plant, so the river no longer flows freely through the bend.