Do you want to experience the unique nature of Austria? Are you craving an extraordinary adventure in the Austrian Alps? Then you came to the right place. This hike in the middle of Austria leads you through a varied natural landscape up the mountains to three beautiful alpine lakes. Each lake is special in its own way.
The Death Mountain range and its alpine lakes
The Death Mountains are located in the middle of Austria, in the Salzkammergut region. It is the largest limestone karst area in Central Europe, has an amazing network of caves and its name comes from the lack of water sources and plants. However, the hike I’m going to introduce you to shows a very different side of the Death Mountains.
Although it seems very dry, there are multiple lakes in the Death Mountains. The Wildensee, the Tauplitzalm lake plateau, the Vordere and Hintere Lahngangsee and the Elmsee. The last three I will cover in this blog post.
Where you start the hike to the amazing mountain lakes
The hike starts at Gössl, at the Grundlsee. At the roundabout, take the left turn towards the village of Gössl. You cannot drive here; it’s only allowed for locals. However, if you are traveling by car, you can park along the road either before or after the roundabout. If you are traveling by public transport, you can take the train to Bad Aussee and then continue by bus and get off at Gößl Strandbad (busline 956).
From here, walk along the paved road towards the “village,” which consists of a few houses. Soon, you’ll see a yellow hiking sign on the left side. You need to follow the signs to the Pühringerhütte, where the Elmsee is laying.
Follow the sign, and after a few meters, you’ll need to cross a small creek and turn left again. It may seem like you are walking into someone’s garden, but there is a hiking sign on the wall of the house (not in yellow). That’s the correct path.
The first part of the hike
The hike begins with a steep ascent, but fortunately, it’s shaded by trees. In the forest, you continue to climb higher and higher. One of the appealing aspects of this hike is that you immediately start on a hiking path, except for the initial paved section.
At several points, you cross a larger forest road. Soon, you’ll catch glimpses of the Grundlsee (Lake Grundl) from above. In this first part of the hike, you gain significant elevation. The hiking trail becomes broader at some points, but only briefly. Then, on your left, you’ll see an amazing panorama with a meadow in front and the mountains in the background.
The forest becomes lusher, with a moss-covered forest floor and a beautiful atmosphere.
After walking through this lovely forest, steadily uphill but not as steep as at the beginning, you reach an alpine plateau. The flora suggests that this is a marshy area. The path flattens out, but don’t get too excited—a steeper section awaits you at the end of this area. You re-enter the forest, the lushness fades, but the shade of the trees is a relief on hot summer days.
Still hiking up – the long stretch to the alpine lake Lahngangsee
The trail continues to ascend steadily until you reach the Drausengatterl. After a short descent and another uphill stretch, you’ll walk along a steep slope. To your right, you can see alpine pastures in the valley and mountain peaks in the distance. To your left is a steep stone cliff. Be careful while walking along this slope. In the morning, the sun beats down on this part of the path since there are no trees. However, in the late afternoon, the sun shifts, allowing you to walk in the shade.
Eventually, you will reach a fence with a gate. Once you pass through it, you’ll face the final steep uphill section. The trail takes you over a lovely grassy hill. Soon, the path flattens, and you’ll catch your first glimpse of the alpine lake.
A few more meters along this lovely path, and you’ll find yourself in front of the Lahngangsee. To the right and at the end of the lake are some huts. These are not the typical Austrian mountain huts where you can find food and shelter, but they are likely privately owned.
Reaching the Lahngangsee
At the Lahngangsee, you can take a refreshing dip to wash off the sweat of the hike. Take care if you are entering the lake on the big rocks. They are very slippery.
The path continues on the left side of the lake, where you’ll find a sign that says it takes 1 ¼ hours to reach the Pühringerhütte. However, it’s definitely closer to 1 ¾ or almost 2 hours. However, the trail from here is not much steeper, it is a steady up and down or moderate level.
If you want to reach the shore of the Hintere Lahngangsee, you’ll need to head towards the huts after passing the alpine lake and find a trail leading to the second lake. Otherwise, you’ll only get a glimpse of the lake from above, along the trail.
The Hintere Lahngangsee looks absolutely lovely from above. After about an hour from the Vordere Lahngangsee, you’ll reach a high alpine pasture where the path splits. To reach the Elmsee you need to continue straight. The other path brings you to the Appelhaus, another mountain hut, in 3 ½ hours. You can do several day hikes in this area, as there are different trails for a real mountain adventure in Austria.
The trail to the magnificent Elmsee
At the high alpine pasture, you might find some cows. From here it takes about 45 minutes to reach the amazing alpine lake Elmsee. The vegetation is rich with many bushes, grasses, and flowers, with fewer trees, and the path leads up and down through stony terrain. Here you shouldn’t leave the path. As there are many dolines. If you are attentive, you can find a cave where you can get very close to and lock down into the cave, a path leading there.
The alpine lake comes into view after following this path. It lies below you, with the Pühringerhütte just behind it, set against an amazing mountain backdrop. Especially amazing during the early morning.
Returning and alternative hiking paths back
From here you can also hike up the peak, to the Elm, which takes you another one and a half hours. Another alternative is continuing the trail to the Almsee and make a mountain crossing. However, this path isn’t for weak nerves. You need to be sure-footed and not afraid of heights.
Drinking water along the tour
Especially during hot summer days, it is essential to have enough water with you. Right at the beginning of the hike, in the forest, there is a water source. At the Vordere Lahngangsee is also a water spring and at the Pürhingerhütte of course.
When is the best time to do the hike
The tour to this beautiful alpine lake is doable from June to September I would say. In late spring, there may still be snow at the lake.
If you are up for adventure, you can start the tour in the afternoon, sleep in the mountain hut and go for a sunrise hike up the peak Elm. It takes around 1 1/2 hours.
But if you just want to hike up to the alpine lakes in one day, I recommend starting very early in the morning. So you have enough time to hike and enjoy the beautiful mountain lakes of Austria.
Hard Facts about the hike
- Starting point: Gössl, Grundlsee
- Elmsee: 1637 meters
- Duration of hike: 4:20 hours
- Distance 9,04 kilometres
- Elevation gain: 955 meters
- Water sources along the way: 2
- Bergfex information
The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.
