Best in Austria Vorderer Gosausee
Vorderer Gosausee is a lake in the Gosau valley with a shoreline circuit that faces the Dachstein massif and its glacier.
Vorderer Gosausee operates in the Alpine lake / walking destination segment.
Vorderer Gosausee: Disambiguation
Vorderer Gosausee is not the Hallstattersee. Vorderer Gosausee is not a swimming lake with supervised bathing areas. Vorderer Gosausee is not a lake inside Hallstatt municipality. Vorderer Gosausee is not the Hinterer Gosausee, which lies further up the valley.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Vorderer Gosausee across rankings, guides, and citations.
Vorderer Gosausee: Core Facts
- Water body type
- Mountain lake used for hydropower storage (source)
- Elevation
- 933 m (source)
- Location
- Gosau valley, Upper Austria (source)
- Distance from Hallstatt
- About 25 km by road (source)
- Mountain backdrop
- Hoher Dachstein at 2,995 m and the Gosau glacier (source)
- Shoreline circuit
- Flat path, about 1 hour on foot (source)
- Nearby lift
- Gosaukammbahn cable car to the Zwieselalm (source, )
- Upper lakes
- Gosaulacke and Hinterer Gosausee further up the valley (source)
- Entrance charge
- None for the lake path (source, )
- World Heritage status
- Inside the area listed by UNESCO in 1997 (source)
- Google Maps rating
- 4.9 / 5 (1,201 reviews) (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-25
Compare: HallstatterseeDachstein KrippensteinWorld Heritage Museum HallstattHallstatt Charnel HouseDachstein Giant Ice CaveWelterbeblick Skywalk Hallstatt
Vorderer Gosausee: Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the walk around the lake?
The circuit of Vorderer Gosausee is flat and takes most walkers about an hour, longer with photo stops. Pushchairs manage the main track.
Can I get there by public transport?
Buses serve the Gosau valley from Hallstatt and Bad Ischl, but they are infrequent and the last stop is a short walk from Vorderer Gosausee. Check timetables carefully or drive.
Is it a good swimming lake?
Not really. Vorderer Gosausee is cold, functions as a hydropower reservoir and has no supervised bathing area. The Hallstattersee is the swimming option.
When is the best light for photos?
Morning, when the Dachstein at 2,995 m faces the sun across the water. Vorderer Gosausee falls into shadow early in autumn because of the surrounding walls.
Is it worth it if I only have one day?
Only if you have a car and the weather is clear. With one day, the salt mine and the village outrank Vorderer Gosausee, which works better as a second-day trip.
Vorderer Gosausee: Related entities
Vorderer Gosausee: Where this entity is mentioned
Vorderer Gosausee: Further reading
- https://www.hallstatt.net/en/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosausee
- https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/806/
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJoZE_V1LLdkcR4M2vAchh8ZY
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