Brief information:
- Where is the Offensee? The Offensee is a mountain lake in the Salzkammergut, in the municipality of Ebensee on Lake Traunsee
- How long does it take to walk around the Offensee? The 4.3 km route takes 1.5 hours to walk. It is also a good route for jogging.
- Can you swim in the Offensee? Yes (diving is prohibited though)
- How big is the Offensee? Altitude 649m, 60 ha area, 900 m long, 900 m wide, approx. 28 m deep,
- Is it allowed to fish in the Offensee? Yes
The Open lake is a mountain lake in the Upper Austrian part of the Salzkammergut in the municipality of Ebensee am Traunsee, at the northern foot of the Totes Gebirge and lies at 649 m above sea level.
The nutrient-poor lake, with its largely natural shores and the highly structured vegetation belt with adjacent wetlands, offers habitats for many animal and plant species. The area has been a nature reserve since 1965.
The Open lake is a popular tourist destination and is used as a bathing lake, especially in summer, because of the pleasant surface temperature of the water. Large parts of the south bank are used as a lawn for sunbathing. The Seeau snack bar is located there. To the north of the lake, at the outlet, is the Hauseck shelter. The Offensee is also suitable for ice skating or curling, as it often freezes over completely in winter.
We can highly recommend the hike around the lake, which takes about 1.5 hours.
Not only can you walk around the Offensee, it also serves as a starting point for other beautiful hikes. A tour to the Rinnerhütte, the Rinnerkogel, the Wildensee or the Hochpfad-Almsee is recommended.
The following hiking trails are available:
Shore path around the lake
Trail 420: The high trail connects the lake with the Almsee and is part of the Voralpenweg 04.
Trail 422: It runs north into the Rindbachtal and is part of the Voralpenweg 04.
Route 212: Offensee – Rinnerhütte – Wildensee – Altaussee