Lake Schrecksee is one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Germany. A challenging hike leads you to this fascinating natural beauty in the Bavarian Alps.
A trip to Schrecksee is not only one of the best hikes in the German Alps but also one of the top day trips from Munich.
This guide will cover how to reach Schrecksee from Munich and provide details on hiking to the lake.
Schrecksee Lake is situated in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps in Germany. It’s super close to the Austrian border. You can also hike to Schrecksee from Austria.
The lake is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,813 meters (5,948 feet) above sea level. That makes Schrecksee one of the highest alpine lakes in Germany.
The only way to get to the Schrecksee Lake is by hiking there.
I took a day trip from Munich to Schrecksee. I started the day in Munich and I also ended the day in Munich. It’s a long journey but it’s 100% worth it.
HOW EARLY SHOULD YOU LEAVE TO START YOUR TRIP TO SCHRECKSEE
If you want to use public transport, you should take the first train from Munich. That’s also what I did. The first train from Munich Central Station is at 5:20 am. By catching the first train, you can start your hike around 9:20 to 9:30 am.
SUMMARY OF THE JOURNEY FROM MUNICH TO AUELE, BAD HINDELANG
Route: Munich – Buchloe – Sonthofen – Busbahnhof, Bad Hindelang – Hinterstein Grüner Hut, Bad Hindelang – Auele, Bad Hindelang
This means taking a regional train and three buses.
- Munich – Buchloe/ Immenstadt: Regional train
- Buchloe/ Immenstadt – Sonthofen: Regional train
- Sonthofen – Busbahnhof, Bad Hindelang: Bus number 48
- Busbahnhof, Bad Hindelang – Hinterstein Grüner Hut, Bad Hindelang: Bus number 49
- Hinterstein Grüner Hut, Bad Hindelang – Auele, Bad Hindelang: Bus number 50 (direction: Giebelhaus)
WHERE TO CHECK THE TIMETABLE FOR THIS TRIP?
Check the train schedule from Munich to Auele, Bad Hindelang, here, on the website of Deutsche Bahn.
The journey from Munich to the trailhead should take a bit more than 3 hours. If you are lucky and there is no delay, you can start your hike from Auele at 8:30 am.
WHAT TICKET DO YOU NEED FOR THIS TRIP?
The cheapest ticket is the Bavarian day pass, called BayernTicket + Ticket for bus nr. 50 to be purchased on the bus.
The website of Deutsche Bahn doesn’t indicate that Bayern Ticket is valid for Munich to Hinterstein Grüner Hut, Bad Hindelang. But I can tell you that it’s valid.
When I took this trip, the Bayern Ticket, however, didn’t cover the ticket for this bus nr. 50. But it might have changed by now.
The price of the Bayern ticket depends on how many of you travel together. If you are five friends traveling together, you pay €13.80 per person.
Check out now how much the Bayern Ticket costs:
For 1 person: €29
For 2 persons: €39 / €19.50 per person
For 3 persons: €49 / €16.30 per person
For 4 persons: €59 / €14.75 per person
For 5 persons: €69 / €13.80 per person
As for the price of the ticket for bus nr. 50, it costs €6 one way.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU DON’T CATCH BUS NR. 50?
My bus to Hinterstein, Grüner Hut was delayed. Therefore, I was going to start hiking from Hinterstein Grüner Hut, Bad Hindelang.
But I was lucky as bus nr. 50 waited for us.
The bus drivers on the way were very kind and funny. They were making jokes and explaining things on the way.
Even if you travel by car, you should be here as early as possible. Ideally, you should be at the parking lot at the latest 8 am so that you will surely have a parking spot available for you.
The closest parking lot to the trailhead is 3 km (1.9 mi) from the trailhead of the Schrecksee hike.
WHERE EXACTLY SHOULD YOU PARK YOU CAR?
The closest parking place to the trailhead of the Schrecksee hike is Parking “Auf der Höh”, Bad Hindelang.
Location on Google Maps, here.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PARK YOUR CAR?
A day ticket for parking costs 10 €. You need to pay for parking as soon as you park your car. Once you paid, you get a parking ticket which you need to place behind the front window inside your car.
HOW TO GET FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE TRAILHEAD OF THE SCHECKSEE LAKE HIKE?
From the parking lot, you can take bus nr. 50 to Auele, Bad Hindelang (Kratwerk Auele). The direction of nr 50 is Giebelhaus. It’s 2 stops and takes only 5 minutes. Check the bus schedule, here.
Alternatively, you walk from the parking lot to the trailhead. This should take around 30 minutes.
Difficulty level: medium-difficult
Technical difficulty: easy
Trailhead: bus stop called Auele, Bad Hindelang. On Google Maps, it’s Kraftwerk Auele. Location, here.
Distance from the trailhead to Schrecksee Lake: approximately 6 km (3.7 mi)
Official duration from the trailhead to Schrecksee Lake: 2 hours 45 minutes.
But I needed 3 hours and 10 minutes to get to Screcksee.
Elevation: From 825 m (2,706 ft) to 1813 m (5,948 ft). That means a 988-meter (3,241 ft) altitude difference.
The highest viewpoint with the best view of Schrecksee: 1,927 meters (6,322 ft)
Best time to hike Schrecksee: June, July, August
On this map, you can see the Schrecksee hiking route:
Optional first part: From Parking “Auf der Höh” to Kraftwerk Auele
Second part: To Kraftwerk Auele to Stausee des Wasserkraftwerks
Third part: From Stausee des Wasserkraftwerks to Schrecksee
FROM HINTERSEIN GRÜNER HUT TO KRAFTWERK AUELE
Hinsterstein grüner hut is also where the Parking “Auf der Höh” is located. In case you miss bus nr. 50, you can walk this distance. It’s a 3-km straight route.`It should take a maximum of 40 minutes to complete this leg of your journey. It’s indicated very well on Google Maps.
STARTING THE SCHRECKSEE HIKE FROM KRAFTWERK AUELE
Now, let’s see our Schrecksee Wanderung. By the way, did you know that hiking in German is Wanderung? It’s one of the most important words in Bavaria.
I got off the bus at the stop called Auele, Bad Hindelang. This point is indicated as Kraftwerk Auele on Google Maps. Location, here.
When you are at the bus stop, just cross the road and you will see the sign indicating Schrecksee. The entire trail is signposted and the exact route is always obvious.
HIKING FROM KRAFTWERK AUELE TO LAKE SCHRECKSEE
Let’s see what the trekking route is like.
The terrain is quite steep from the start. The ground on the way is mostly rocky. For me, already the beginning was challenging.
The rocky hiking route at the very beginning
The hiking path after two hours
There were some flat terrains on the way but it was very steep for most parts. Especially, when it’s over 30 degrees, it’s demanding but the view is breathtaking.
Magnificiant vista on the way to Schrecksee Lake
Admiring the breahtaking Bavarian mountains
But at some point after around 3 hours of marching, you will see one of the most beautiful high mountain lakes in the world. Tell me if you know such dreamy places in other parts of the world!
When you reach the lake, you can either go down and swim or climb further up.
I didn’t go down the lake, I took a left and continued upwards. It was a wonderful idea. The best viewpoints over Schrecksee are located much higher.
There were a lot of beautiful cows on my way up. Where the cows were, it’s one of the best viewpoints over Schrecksee Lake. Cows normally know where the best views are, just like the cows on Wallberg know how to get the best view over Lake Tegernsee.
I found two major viewpoints after the spot with the beautiful alpine cows.
The picture-perfect Schreksee Lake from the hill
Let me show you the best spots I’ve found around Schrecksee Lake.
The first picture is just in front of the cows and the second picture is with the cows behind me on the hill up.
One of the most instagrammable places in Germany
Beautiful cows in the Allgäu Alps
The next one is my favorite viewpoint over Lake Schrecksee. I walked 200 meters higher to get here.
Enjoying this heavenly view
There is supposed be a circular path (Rundweg in German) around Schreckssee. I was exploring that part as well but only a small segment of it. You can see in the following picture that the view is more amazing as you go up. By the way, what you see on the right, the greyish area, is the trekking route.
Schreksee Lake from even higher is terrifically beautiful
As you can see, from here you can also take great pictures. I think they are just simply stunning. And probably the more time you have to explore this beautiful lake, the more beautiful viewpoints you will find.
Swimming is allowed in Schrecksee.
I didn’t swim in Schrecksee and I would not swim in Schrecksee. It’s because the water of Schrecksee is too cold for me.
Alpine lakes are typically very cold. Their high altitude results in less direct sunlight. Furthermore, the water is often sourced from snowmelt or glaciers, leading to lower temperatures. Even during the summer months, the water in alpine lakes remains very cold.
Walking down took us only 2 hours at a very fast pace.
We took the following connections:
17:18 from Auele to Hinterstein Grüner Hut
17:40 Bus from Hinterstein Grüner Hut
18:00 Bus from Busbahnhof, Bad Hindeland
20:41 Arrival to Munich
Make sure you double-check the departure time of the last bus. Last connections as for now:
18:18 Bus from Auele to Hinterstein Grüner Hut
18:40 Bus from Hinterstein Grüner Hut
19:00 Bus from Busbahnhof, Bad Hindeland
21:41 Arrival to Munich
– Hiking shoes: This hike definitely needs a good pair of hiking shoes.
– Hiking sticks: To be honest, I never use hiking sticks but most of my professional hiking buddies are convinced that it’s much better to hike with hiking sticks.
– 2 – 3 l water: I had 3 liters of liquid with me and I finished it all by the end of the hike.
– Snacks, food, coffee: And whatever you need to boost your energy level the entire day. There is no shop or Hütte (restaurant) on the way where you can buy food. One of my top recommendations is the Energy Oatsnack.
– Baseball cap: I didn’t have but I recommend you cover your head to protect it from the heat.
– Sun cream: Most parts on the way are in shade but for the sunny parts, you should protect your skin as the sun can be very strong in the mountains.
– Swimwear: Check out this swimwear for ladies or swimming short for men
– This blog offline: Save this blog as well for your reference in case your mobile internet network would not work.
– Photography gear
Bayern Ticket: The price of the Bayern ticket depends on how many of you travel together. If you are five friends traveling together, you pay 13.80 € per person.
For 1 person: 29 €
For 2 persons: 39 € / 19.50 € per person
For 3 persons: 49 € / 16.30 € per person
For 4 persons: 59 € / 14.75 € per person
For 5 persons: 69 € / 13.80 € per person
2 bus tickets: 2 x 6 €= 12 €
Cycling is only allowed on the designated cycle paths.
What is not permitted there: Camping, staying overnight, drones, making fire and noise, picking plants on the way, walking your dog without a leash.
I have seen on many websites that camping is allowed. But where you start the hike, there is a board where all the above-mentioned rules are written including the fact that camping or staying anywhere in the Allgäu Alps in the wilderness overnight are not allowed.
Just an interesting fact. From Screcksee, you can continue to another stunning lake Vilsalpsee in Austria. It’s another 3 hours. Close to Lake Vilsalpsee, you can find two other dreamy lakes, Lake Traualpsee and Lake Lache.
And just between these two dreamy lakes, you can find the closest Hütte to Lake Schrecksee, The Landsberger Hütte.
If you have any question, write me in the comment section!
If you like or find my blogs useful, remember if you click on the links and you make a purchase, I’ll earn a small commission on it at no extra cost to you. These earnings will help me to cover the costs of the website. Thank you very much!
PIN IT for later on your Pinterest account!
Hello. Can I ask of this wander is accessible with kids or with a baby? Otherwise are they some that are not dangerous and not too long?
Thanks for sharing!
It depends on you and the kids. As you can see from my blog, it is not a dangerous place. This is an ordinary hiking trail. In Germany, it’s common to see very young children hiking or parents hiking with a baby mountain carrier on such trails. This hike will be difficult for children, just like it can be difficult for adults. This hike is a challenge for both adults and children.
If you and your children have hiking experience, you should try it. If you don’t have experience with hiking with your family, it might not be for you. In that case, try something easier, for example, hiking to Wallberg.
If you have a baby, for sure you have to carry your baby in a baby mountain carrier.
To do that, you need to have already experience with hiking on difficult trekking routes and carrying a baby in the mountains.
What a gorgeous hike and wow the lake is breathtaking! I’ve never seen water that is emerald green like that. I lived in Germany for 4 months when I was a teenager but didn’t get to do many hikes. This makes me want to go back! Great tips too on how to best get there. ?
I hope you will be back in Germany again and you will do this hike. :-)
Hello, thank you for the detailed plan. I want to also make this trip from munich someone this summer. One small question is, doesn’t the Bayern ticket cover the buses as well, so you don’t need to buy extra bus tickets? That’s what I always thought
Hi Lisa, Bayern Ticket covers almost all the buses. There are a couple of exceptions like the last bus you have to take to Auele. There are a couple of privately owned bus companies in Bavaria and on their buses, Bayern Ticket doesn’t work.
I’d love to be able to do this hike one day! When I went to Germany I was with my grandfather, and he definitely wasn’t going hiking, haha!
So smart to include a daily budget!
Thanks. It’s very important when people plan their trips.
This looks beautiful! So blue, and I love the cows grazing there
This is seriously gorgeous. And I love that you can hike to another country. The water is so beautiful. Looks like a great way to spend a vacation to Germany, a country I already love
Absolutely stunning! I’m from Germany and have never heard of such magical places. Thanks for sharing!
I would love to see this lake in person, it looks beautiful! I love mountain landscapes with lakes, absolutely stunning.
I am so impressed by the color of the lake! I would love to hike around here! Thank you for all the info!
I do secretly believe that some of these animals totally get photo ready, ha!
This is gorgeous & what’s surprising to me is that it’s all in one day trip. Thank you for sharing!
When I went to Germany I was with my Father, and he definitely wasn’t going hiking, So Funny :)
I had been to Schrecksee yesterday following your blog and I absolutely loved it. On our way back at sonthofen bahnhof allgäu I saw someone just like you!!!.. was that really you?
Anyways thank you for the detailed info . Will cover other places also which you have mentioned
Hi Preetham, Yes, it was me. :-) I was at Gaisalpsee and on the way back I took the train from Santhofen. Was it you, two of you, sitting inside and then later outside? I think we were the only foreigners at the station at that time. :-) PS: Thank you for following my blog! How was it? Did you manage to get to Schrecksee? Is it still snowy there? If you want to join the Munich Travel Community on Facebook and share some of your photos there so that we can see the current conditions there, it would be awesome. :-)
Hi! I have a trip planned in the beginning of May. Do you think this will be ‘possible’ then or will there still be a lot of snow at that moment? I have no idea actually! Thank you :)
Hi Lara! At the beginning of May, there will be snow there for sure. My pictures of Schrecksee Lake are from the middle of July.