This Austrian Lake in Summer Becomes a Diver’s Paradise

Grüner See (Green Lake) hides a natural wonder of nature. This is a green lake, which depending on the season changes its appearance.

Green Lake lies at the foot of the Hochshwab mountains. Is a lake in central Austria, and more specifically in Styria, in the municipality Tragöß, located in a forested valley in the mountains. It captivates with its picturesque location and the emerald shade of the water. It is popular with tourists, holidaymakers and… divers.

The lake appears periodically because it is fed by water from melting snow, the maximum depth is 12m, the best time to dive is the end of May, early June. As a result, the surrounding areas are flooded (trees, vegetation, rocks, footpaths, bridges, benches). The depth of an actual deposit is only about 1-2 meters.

Meanwhile, everything begins to change in the spring, the lake is floods with water from the melting snow. The water level rises rapidly and can reach the full depth in a day. The lake owes its name "green lake" to the color of water seen from the surface, under the water is of course blue. Flora and fauna is not particularly developed.

Come Summer this is then known as the Grüner See. So, don’t be astonished if you find yourself in completely distinct settings at the same spot but at different times of the year.

Divers used to come to Grüner See in large numbers. Diving into the greenish waters of the lake and admiring the submerged flora is a great treat. Thus, in 2016 the tourism department banned all water sports in the area—swimming, diving or boating.

Nevertheless, the lake is still a picturesque spot to visit. And if you still long for a sight of the magic underneath, here are some documentation of the landscape. 

Would you like to trek around Green Lake?