Tyrol: The most beautiful reservoirs in the Zillertal

Many people will now think, “What is so beautiful about a reservoir? It is a disfigurement of nature.” That may be true. Nevertheless, something beautiful can still emerge from it, as our examples here show. There are 5 reservoirs in Zillertal:

• Schlegeis reservoir
• Zillergrund
• Stillup storage
• Storage Durlaßboden
• Storage Gmünd

Verbund AG operates these 5 reservoirs in Zillertal eight hydroelectric power plants.

Schlegeis reservoir

The most famous reservoir in the Zillertal, if not in all of Austria, can be reached via the 13.3 km long Schlegeis Alpine Road, which is subject to tolls. If you don't know the photos of the famous suspension bridge, you don't have Instagram. Period. However, we will discuss how to get there in this blog "Hikes from the Schlegeis reservoir to the Olperer hut“.
Even from the shore path of the reservoir you have a wonderful view of the emerald green water. In the background you can see the Schlegeiskees, the highest mountain in the Zillertal Alps. 

We recommend walking along the 725 m long dam wall. If you want to find out more about the interior, you can do so on a 1-hour guided tour. Cost: €5.50 per adult and €3 for children (6-15 years)
If you want something a little more exciting, you can explore the dam wall via ferrata and abseil down. Would you like a little more adrenaline? 
How about the Flying Fox, a 600 m ride along the Schlegeissperre or the Giant Swing with 30 m free fall? 

Zillergründl reservoir

At 1,850 m above sea level is another of the five reservoirs in the Zillertal, the Zillergründl reservoir. A toll road (8€) leads from Mayrhofen to the reservoir.

In the 1980s, the Zillergründl reservoir was built in the rear Zillertal. After the electricity has been generated, the water masses are transported to the Stillup reservoir via a tunnel. From the Zillergründl reservoir, a beautiful hike leads along the lake to the Plauener Hütte at 2,364 m above sea level. You can find a detailed description in this article

Stillup storage

This is the reservoir of the Mayrhofen power plant. It is fed by the Stillupbach stream and by meltwater from the surrounding glaciers. 

Again, the lake can only be reached via an 8km toll road through the Stillup Valley, either by car or by public bus from Mayrhofen. But the pristine valley is also very popular with cyclists and hikers.

There are several tours, for example up to the Grüne Wand Hütte (1,438 m above sea level) and the Kasseler Hütte (2,178 m). From here you have a wonderful view of the Grosser Löffler. Other destinations are the Stilluphaus (1,194 m) or the largest waterfall in the Stilluptal, which is also known as the “Krönung”. If you are lucky, you can even see chamois or marmots here.

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Durlaßboden reservoir

Although this reservoir is located in the Zillertal, the border between Tyrol and Salzburg runs right through it.

This lake is particularly popular in summer because, unlike other lakes, it also offers excellent bathing opportunities. These can be found at the sailing and surfing school on the jetty and at the lawn on the left bank of the lake. There is also a playground with barbecue facilities. However, bathing is more for the hardy, as the temperature reaches a maximum of 21°C.

Tip: Sailboats, surfboards and pedal boats can be rented. There are also plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat at the lake.

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Gmünd reservoir

This is the smallest reservoir, located directly on the Gerlos Alpine Road. We would like to mention it for the sake of completeness, but the reservoir itself is rather unspectacular.