Feldsee, Glacial lake in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Germany.
Feldsee is a mountain lake in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district, sitting in a glacial basin at around 1,109 meters above sea level. Steep rock faces surround much of the water, giving the lake a sheltered, enclosed character.
The lake formed at the end of the last ice age, when a glacier carved out the surrounding rock and left behind a basin. The water that drained from it was once connected to the ancient Danube valley before eventually shifting toward the Wutach river.
The name Feldsee comes from the open, field-like hollow in which the lake rests. The surrounding forest is protected, and visitors can only move through it along marked trails.
The lake is only accessible on foot from nearby parking areas, with the walk taking a good hour depending on the route chosen. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as the paths pass through uneven mountain terrain.
A rare bacterium with one of the smallest known genomes was found living in the lake's water. This microorganism is known from very few other places on Earth, which draws scientists to study the lake beyond its geology.
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