--- title: Lake Hallstatt in the Holiday Region Dachstein Salzkammergut url: "https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/artikel/detail/604/lake-hallstatt.html" description: "All you need to know about the Lake Hallstatt in the Holiday Region Dachstein Salzkammergut. We invite you to come and feel the energy given by the lake by yourself!" date: 2012-06-19 modified: 2026-03-06 --- # Lake Hallstatt in the Holiday Region Dachstein Salzkammergut Lake Hallstatt ============== **The Dachstein in the back,** [**Obertraun**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-stadt-ort/detail/430000973/hallstatt.html "Link öffnet sich in neuem Fenster")**,** [**Hallstatt** ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-stadt-ort/detail/430000973/hallstatt.html "Link öffnet sich in neuem Fenster")**and** [**Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-stadt-ort/detail/430000966/bad-goisern-am-hallstaettersee.html "Link öffnet sich in neuem Fenster") **on its sides and the Traun in the middle - Lake Hallstatt is not only one of the most striking landscape phenomena in the Inner Salzkammergut but also a real "lake personality". The lake has acquired many German spellings over the years, Hallstätter See, Hallstatt See or Hallstättersee? Whatever it is called, three communities share the centre of the World Heritage and Hallstatt has the largest part.** History, mysticism, bathing pleasures and its often underestimated versatility ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The desire for the 7.75 km long, maximum 2.3 km wide and up to 125 m deep Lake Hallstatt has already gripped many. The travel writer Christoph Wagner enthuses: > "At first glance, the lake looks like a larger sister of the underground mountain lake, which has erroneously moved from Hades into the open air and its dark waters are of a bizarre beauty, which develops its power at depth". He was called the **"melancholic lake"**, **"quiet fjord"** or **"the sight of an ideal mountain lake"**.For many, only [**Lake Gosau**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/visitor-information/our-lakes/lake-gosau.html) surpasses this imposing sight - and Gosau is also the fourth place around which the World Heritage Region spans. Lake Hallstatt is a classic **relic of the ice age** and lies between the steeply sloping Obertraun's and Hallstatt's mountains. After Bad Goisern, it has more room to spread out its 8.55 km². With this area it is the **fifth largest Salzkammergut lake**. For the early settlers on Hallstatt's "Salzberg" (salt mountain), the **scenic beauty of Lake Hallstatt** may have been relative, but for them it was initially a **transport route, a waterway for the most valuable of the mountain, salt**. The lake also carried wood patiently, washed out of the Gosau valley and laboriously pulled into Hallstatt's Saline, later floated to Ebensee. Today he carries, for example, the excursion and liner ships of the "Hallstättersee Schifffahrt" (ship company in Hallstatt). They also make sure that rail customers come to their trains and back to Hallstatt across the lake. Many do not approach the old miner's village via the road, which only allows a relatively late view of the world-famous townscape, but come by train and ship, leisurely - contemplative. The following photo gallery can be navigated with the arrow keys (left, right). © Open copyright © Lake Hallstatt (photo: Viorel Munteanu) Close copyright [ ![View from the shore of Obertraun on the Lake Hallstatt (photo: Viorel Munteanu)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin/_processed_/5/8/csm_Hallstaettersee-Winter-Foto-Viorel-Munteanu_97ce6eb4e7.jpg "Lake Hallstatt (photo: Viorel Munteanu)") ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin//user_upload/dachstein-salzkammergut/boxen/boxen-groß/region-winter/Hallstaettersee-Winter-Foto-Viorel-Munteanu.jpg "Lake Hallstatt (photo: Viorel Munteanu)") © Open copyright © World Heritage Region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut (photo: Sven Posch / www.viewnect.com) Close copyright [ ![The UNESCO World Heritage Region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut with the Lake Hallstatt as the centre. (photo: Sven Posch / www.viewnect.com)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin/_processed_/f/9/csm_Panorama-Welterbe-Hallstaettersee-Foto-Sven-Posch-www360perspektivencom_b1bd1714e3.jpg "World Heritage Region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut (photo: Sven Posch / www.viewnect.com)") ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin//user_upload/dachstein-salzkammergut/boxen/boxen-groß/region-sommer/Panorama-Welterbe-Hallstaettersee-Foto-Sven-Posch-www360perspektivencom.jpg "World Heritage Region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut (photo: Sven Posch / www.viewnect.com)") © Open copyright © Stand up paddling at Lake Hallstatt (photo: Stefanie Wallner) Close copyright [ ![At Lake Hallstatt, motor boats are not allowed. That's why you can enjoy the calmness while stand up paddling to the fullest (photo: Stefanie Wallner) ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin/_processed_/e/5/csm_Stand-Up-Paddling-Krippenstein-Hallstaettersee-Foto-Stefanie-Wallner_1d777fde6c.jpg "Stand up paddling at Lake Hallstatt (photo: Stefanie Wallner)") ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin//user_upload/dachstein-salzkammergut/boxen/boxen-groß/aktiv-sommer/Stand-Up-Paddling-Krippenstein-Hallstaettersee-Foto-Stefanie-Wallner.jpg "Stand up paddling at Lake Hallstatt (photo: Stefanie Wallner)") © Open copyright © Lake Hallstatt (Photo: TVB/Christopher Unterberger) Close copyright [ ![Lake Hallstatt in summer (Photo: TVB/Christopher Unterberger)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin/_processed_/9/2/csm_Hallstaettersee-Foto-Unterberger-Christopher_de5322441d.jpg "Lake Hallstatt (Photo: TVB/Christopher Unterberger)") ](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/fileadmin//user_upload/dachstein-salzkammergut/ra/Hallstättersee/Hallstaettersee-Foto-Unterberger-Christopher.jpg "Lake Hallstatt (Photo: TVB/Christopher Unterberger)") [ previous slide ](#ttgDetailSiteCarousel "back") [ next slide ](#ttgDetailSiteCarousel "forward") Hiking, swimming and fishing ---------------------------- You can also hike along the [**east shore hiking trail**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/austria/tour/430006978/east-bank-trail-at-lake-hallstatt.html "East bank hiking trail") from Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt or Obertraun to let the true beauty of the lake really take effect. It allows very special deep views of the fjord-like water. Perhaps even a little below the surface where **twelve different fish species** live, of which the **Reinanke** has the greatest economic importance. Lake Hallstatt also has a recreational value for people. In addition to hiking around the lake, the **24-degree warm water at best** lures people to relax and cool off on hot summer days. In Hallstatt, Obertraun and Bad Goisern at Lake Hallstatt there are [**plenty of beach baths and bathing opportunities**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/lakeside-beaches-lake-hallstatt.html) and they can all **be used free of charge**. Swimming in this mountain panorama, in the middle of the World Heritage Region, is a truly exclusive pleasure, with concerts being held on its banks, from the typical **"Fuhren"** sounding wind instruments to the shore. Lake Hallstatt will not care, it has already found its rhythm ten thousand years ago and it will keep it. Only 25 km from Lake Hallstatt lies the famous[ **Lake Gosau at the foot of the Dachstein**](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/visitor-information/our-lakes/lake-gosau.html), one of the most popular photo motifs in the Salzkammergut. We invite you to enjoy our lakes and feel the energy by yourself! ### The Lake Hallstatt in 360 ° [**To the Dachstein Salzkammergut Panorama Tour ...**](https://www.dachstein-panorama.at/?s=pano68565&utm_source=webseite&utm_medium=dskgt&utm_campaign=artikel-redaktionell) ### Contact & Service **Salzkammergut Tourismus - Destination Dachstein** Kirchengasse 4 4822 Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee Phone [+43 6132 26909 400](tel:+43613226909400) E-Mail