Wiesensee, Seasonal lake in Ebensee, Austria.
Wiesensee is a seasonal lake that forms in a depression at the northern foot of Hochkogel mountain. The water body appears shallow and occupies a small area surrounded by dense forest and meadows.
The lake basin formed when glacial ice retreated after the Würm Ice Age, leaving a depression in the landscape. Over time, this hollow collected water from snowmelt and spring runoff.
The Salzkammergut region incorporates this seasonal lake into its network of natural features, representing the geological diversity of Upper Austria.
The lake is best seen in spring and early summer when snowmelt fills the basin. You can reach it from the Mittereckerstüble area and combine a visit with hiking through the surrounding mountain trails.
The lake vanishes and reappears depending on how much water drains through underground channels beneath the surface. This cycle of appearing and disappearing demonstrates how water moves through mountain terrain in surprising ways.
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