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The Green Lake: A fascinating excursion destination in Styria

The Green Lake in Tragöß in Styria impresses with its clear, greenish shimmering water. Especially in spring, when the meltwater from the mountains arrives, the lake offers a unique scenery that attracts many visitors.

Short info:

  • Where is the Green Lake? The Green Lake is a karst lake in Styria in the municipality of Tragöß-Sankt Katharein in the district of Oberort (north of Leoben)
  • What can you experience here? Walk and enjoy the view.
  • How much does the entrance fee cost? No entrance fee for the lake. The day ticket for the parking lot costs 6€
  • Can you swim in the Green Lake? No, it is a protected area.
  • When is the Green Lake most beautiful? From May to late summer. When the water level is high, you can discover sunken hiking trails, wooden bridges and benches.
  • How long does it take to walk around the lake? This depends extremely on the time of year, as the water level and therefore the route change. But expect it to take about an hour.

How do you get to the Green Lake?

You can't drive directly to the lake. There is a large car park in front of the lake, but you have to walk the last 20-30 minutes. The day ticket for parking costs €6, and if you don't have enough coins, you'll also find a change machine there. In spring and summer, the car park can fill up very quickly!

Danger: There are 2 ways to get to the lake. From the car park, a path leads right through the forest to the back part of the lake (walking time approx. 30 minutes). If you continue along the asphalt road, you will come to the front part (walking time approx. 20 minutes)

The Green Lake General

The lake gently fills with very clear water as the snow melts on the surrounding mountain slopes. The water is therefore cold (5 to 6 °C) and the water level depends greatly on the time of year. When we visit in October, it is not even 3 meters deep at its deepest point. In early summer, it can quickly become 10 meters deep. Meadows with hiking trails and benches are then again above the water level.

Why is the lake green?

Pure water absorbs red light and therefore appears blue-green in thick layers. Finely ground rock suspended in the water reflects primarily the blue-green parts of the light. The lake is perceived as "shimmering emerald green". In large areas of the permanent lakes, it lacks its own dark, muddy bottom. The extraordinarily high visibility in the water is up to 50 meters.

Why is the lake so famous?

On October 25, 2014, the Green Lake was voted the most beautiful hidden place in Austria by viewers and a jury on the Austria-wide ORF TV show 9 Places - 9 Treasures. In addition, there were repeated photos of the sunken park bench on social media. Since then, the lake has attracted an international rush of tourists. This was probably one of the consequences of the Tragöß Tourism Association launching a Diving ban and a ban on any other use (swimming, boating, etc.). The reason given is the negative impact of the stirring up of sediment by water sports and diving activities. The ban has been in effect since January 1, 2016

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