Oberseitsee

The Oberseitsee is a mountain lake high in the Panargenkamm range, set in a glacial hollow above the Defereggental valley in East Tyrol. It lies at 2,576 metres, surrounded by peaks such as the Seespitze to the north and the Kauschkahorn to the northeast. The lake fills a rock basin left by the retreating glaciers after the last Ice Age, with no permanent surface outlet. Its waters cover about 8.84 hectares and it is owned by the municipality of St Jakob in Defereggen. The lake’s remoteness and alpine setting make it a quiet destination for hikers. It sits above the highest alpine pastures, where the plant cover begins to thin out toward the snow zone. Bachforellen, a local trout species, live in its clear waters. During snowmelt or heavy rain, water briefly spills over the southern lip of the basin and feeds the Poppelesbach, which flows down to the Schwarzach and then the Isel. Reaching the Oberseitsee takes several hours on foot. From Erlsbach a marked trail called the Blumenweg Oberseite climbs past the Erlsbacher Alm and along the southern slopes of the Weitstrahl. It passes the Seespitzhütte before branching upward to the lake and onward to the Seespitze summit. A second route starts from Trogach, either directly or via the Reggnalm, joining the main path near the hut. The final approach follows a steep climb into the barren cirque where the Oberseitsee mirrors the surrounding peaks.