Sünser See

The Sünser See is a natural high-mountain lake in the far south-east of Dornbirn’s municipal area in Vorarlberg. It sits at about 1 810 metres above sea level in a rocky basin beneath the Sünser Spitze, the town’s highest peak. The lake covers roughly 2.55 hectares and reaches a maximum depth of about eight metres. Around it rise the Damülser Berge, their ridges marking the borders with Mellau and Damüls. The site is part of Vorarlberg’s protected biotope inventory. The lake is recognised for rare plants that grow in its cold waters. Surveys highlight the endangered Potamogeton praelongus, along with Menyanthes trifoliata, Valeriana dioica and Eriophorum vaginatum. These species thrive in the clear, nutrient-poor conditions of the subalpine basin. The surrounding peaks channel persistent winds that keep the water surface free of ice for much of the year. Visitors reach the lake by following alpine paths that climb from Dornbirn through pastures and larch woods. At the shore they find a still expanse of water ringed by low sedges and mosses. The Sünser Spitze towers above, its rocky flanks catching the last light of evening. On calm days the peaks of the Damülser Berge are reflected in the mirror-like surface. The air carries the scent of wet grass and the calls of water pipits overhead.