Seealpsee is a beautiful lake nestled in the Alpstein mountain range in eastern Switzerland.

You can reach it by hiking up from the valley, no cable car needed. Or you can ride the Ebenalp cable car up the mountain and hike on a steep trail down to the lake. Both options are described below.

At the lake, you'll find gorgeous views, two restaurants, row boat rental, cheese dairy, and nice walking about around the lake with picnic areas.

Seealpsee info: www.ebenalp.ch • webcam • forecast

How to get there

Regardless of which trail you take to the lake, you need to get to Wasserauen.

• By train: Wasserauen, Bahnhof station. From Appenzell 25 min, Zurich 1h50.

• By car: Park at the large metered lots next to the Ebenalp cable car - Schwendetalstrasse 82, 9057 Wasserauen. Pay by coin or parking app. From Zurich 1h15.

Option 1: For most people, we suggest hiking up from Wasserauen on the service road. It's a very beautiful with mountain views and lush forests on both sides. It's also much safer than the mountain trail. Takes about 1h30 to reach the lake. Learn more.

Option 2: If you are an experienced hiker comfortable with heights, you can hike to the Seealpsee via the mountain trail from Ebenalp. It is steep and dangerous, so only for experienced hikers. From the cable car, it takes about 2h to reach the lake. Learn more.

What to do at Seepalpsee

We suggest the short walk around the lake, about 30 mins, to get different views and photo spots. There is a cheese dairy on the far side of the lake selling cheese from this alp and other farm products.

There are two restaurants located directly at the Seealpsee: Gasthaus Forelle and Berggasthaus Seealpsee. Both have restaurants that are open for lunch with outdoor patios. We prefer Gasthaus Forelle, which has great views from their terrace and delicious grilled local trout.