These two lakes are probably among the most beautiful in all of Tyrol. Both can only be reached on foot. While the Seebensee can even be tackled with a stroller, you need a bit of stamina for the Drachensee. The hike is very worthwhile.
Tour dates:
- Start: Ehrwalder Almbahn car park (Dr. Ludwig Ganghoferstr 66, 6632 Ehrwald)
- Ehrwalder Almbahn costs: ascent and descent 19.5 €. Here are the current prices and operating times.
- Refreshments: Ehrwalder Alm, Seebenalm, Coburger Hütte
- Walking time: 1:45 hours to the Seebensee + 45 minutes to the Drachensee (return another 2 hours) / in total approx. 4.5 hours
- Difficulty: easy (to Seebensee) to medium (to Coburger Hütte / Drachensee)
- Total distance: 10.4 kilometers
- Elevation gain: uphill 360 m, downhill 360 m
- Season: recommended June to mid-October
Seebensee & Drachensee
We park at the Ehrwalder Almbahn car park and prepare our back carrier for our child and our rucksack. If you want, you can start hiking here. But we want to save 400 meters in altitude and buy a ticket for the ascent and descent for € 19.5. At 9:37 a.m. we enter the gondola.
8 minutes later we reach the mountain station at 1510 m. After a short toilet session, we start our hike at 10:00 am and walk after the Alm along the Koatiger Weg towards Seebensee.
To do this, you have to turn right at the alpine hut and walk a nicer path through the forest. The path that leads to the left or straight ahead from the hut is the simpler (but less beautiful) forest path.
After just a few minutes, the path narrows and plunges into the forest. It goes downhill briefly and then uphill again. At 10:25 a.m. through the thicket we see the small alpine lake on our right for the first time.
After a little over half an hour, the path widens again and finally becomes a narrow gravel path that leads through the forest. It is now relatively even.
The path is just fantastic, like in a fairy tale forest. We even discovered a huge toadstool at the edge of the path.
After about 40 minutes the forest path crosses the forest path. We continue to the left while the forest road runs to the right. The path continues over hill and dale. On the way we even cross some cows. At 11:15 am the forest clears and we have a wonderful view of the mountains. For the first time we see the Seebenalm hut, where we stop shortly afterwards.
We order a bacon dumpling soup and a cheese dumpling soup for €6.7 each. Unfortunately, there is so much pepper in the broth that you can hardly taste anything from the filler. Nevertheless, the rest with the surrounding cow pastures and the mountains in the background is wonderfully idyllic.
From the Seeben Alm to the Seebensee there is still 15 minutes uphill on the forest path. In total it took us 1.5 hours to get there.
The lake is just gorgeous, even if a lot of people are up there. We take time to take photos and to rest.
we continue to Drachensee
At 1 p.m. we continue to the Drachensee. First it goes along the banks of the Seebensee.
It now goes steadily uphill over a rocky serpentine path. This is by far the hardest part of the hike. The path offers little variety, but at least most of the time you have a wonderful view of the Seebensee.
After about 40 minutes we reach the Coburger Hütte with the Drachensee below. Unfortunately, the self-service line is so incredibly long that you probably need half an hour to get something to eat here. As bad as it is, we have to do without food and drink. Fortunately we have a little something with us.
In any case, the sight of the Drachensee is beautiful, even if it is drawing a bit. With the sun, the color of the lake would definitely come into its own.
If you feel like it, you can jump into the cool water to cool off. Even in the height of summer, however, it is freezing.
We decide to turn back and hike to the Seebenalm hut to have a bite to eat. After a dignified break, this time we hike back down the mountain via the forest path. The path is not as beautiful as the forest path, but every now and then it offers a few beautiful vantage points with a view of the valley.
At 5 p.m. we reach the mountain station again and take the gondola down to the valley.
