Spiegelsee Hike in Schladming, Austria

jana meerman spiegelsee hike reiteralm austria-104

I love hiking in any season and you'll find me on the trails in snowy winters, flowery springs and bright summers, but there is just something so peaceful about hiking in autumn that makes it my favourite time of year to be in the mountains. The air is fresh, the smell of winter on the distance horizon, the colours are so vibrant and abundant, and there is a sense of nostalgia in the air for another hiking season drawing to a close. This year, we celebrated with one last autumnal hike in the mountains of Styria photographing the best colours of the season.

→ Check out all my other Austria hiking guides!

Spiegelsee literally translates to "Mirror Lake" so get ready to see a gorgeous mountain reflection in the main lake on this hike although you'll actually pass six different lakes in total on this trail. With just one difficult section, the rest of this hike is just so beautiful that I might even argue it's one of the prettiest I've done so far in Austria!

→ Check out all my other favourite lakes to visit in Austria!

If you're lucky, you might get to meet the resident goats who sleep at the Spiegelsee who just love to lick salty, sweaty, hiker legs!

→ Check out the funny reel I made about being licked by alpine goats!

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How to Get to the Spiegelsee Hike

The Spiegelsee is located near Schladming, a popular ski resort in the winter. The hike begins from the parking lot near the Reiteralm.

By car: The easiest way to reach Spiegelsee is with your own wheels. Driving takes about an hour and a half from Salzburg. There is free parking at the Reiteralm.

By public transport: It is possible to reach the Spiegelsee by public transport. You will need to take the train to Schladming then transfer by bus to the Preunegg Jet Talstation. From here, ride the Bergbahn (cable car) up to Preunegg Reiteralm Gasselhöhe Hütte to begin the hike.

Spiegelsee Hike Details

When: June to October

Where: hike begins from the parking lot of the Reiteralm by car or from the cable car station Preunegg Reiteralm Gasselhöhe Hütte

Difficulty: intermediate, with one steep, rocky section when you hike above one of the lakes

Length: from the Reiteralm parking lot, we did a loop hike of 6km which took us just under two hours of moving time

Directions: from the parking lot, follow the yellow signs for the Spiegelsee. We did this in a loop hiking past five lakes: Moorsee, Waldsee, Untersee, Spiegelsee and Obersee. The steep section mentioned above is after the Untersee and does not need to be hiked down on the way back! Instead, on your way back from the Spiegelsee, pass the Untersee and walk a gentler incline all the way back past a sixth lake, the Reiteralmsee.

→ Check out my exact route on Strava!

Bathrooms: yes, at the mountain huts

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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