Grüner See (Tragöß)

The Grüner See near Tragöß at the foot of the Hochschwab is known for its clear, emerald-green water. With the snowmelt it swells strongly in early summer and floods the surrounding meadows and paths, while in late summer it is only shallow. To protect the fragile water, diving is now forbidden.

Highlights

• Clear, emerald-green mountain-lake water
• Strong water-level change due to snowmelt
• Hiking area at the foot of the Hochschwab
• Protected, very photogenic lake

Good to know

Practical info

Background & History

The Green Lake near Tragöß in Upper Styria owes its name to the bright emerald-green shimmer of its water, which is fed by the meltwater of the surrounding mountains of the Hochschwab massif. Its true peculiarity, however, is its breathing through the course of the seasons: in winter the lake is only a shallow, still body of water, but when the snow in the cirques melts in spring, it swells mightily and floods the surrounding meadows, paths and trees. Thus for a few weeks a submerged landscape arises, in which benches and bridges stand under water, before the level sinks again in high summer.

This seasonal spectacle has made the lake known far beyond Styria. Geologically it lies at the foot of a karstic limestone range whose rock filters the water and lends it that extraordinary clarity through which one can see right down to the bottom. For a long time the Green Lake was a quiet insiders' tip of the locals, a place for tranquil walks in the shadow of the rock faces. For a long time the lake was popular with divers, who explored a sunken world in the flooded spring landscape, but to protect the sensitive waters, diving has since been prohibited. Today the natural jewel is under special protection, so that the rare interplay of karst water, forest and fluctuating level is preserved and the Green Lake can offer its quiet, seasonal spectacle to future visitors as well.