A rare natural phenomenon turns one of Austria’s most beautiful hiking trails into a 10 meter-deep lake, for half the year.
Located at the foot of the Hochschwab Mountains, in Tragoess, Styria, Green Lake is one of the most bizarre natural phenomena in the world. During the cold winter months, this place is almost completely dry, and used as a country park where hikers love to come and spend some time away from urban chaos. But as soon as temperatures rise, the snow and ice covering the mountaintops begin to melt, and the water pours down, filling the basin below with crystal-clear water.
Water levels go from one-two meters at most, to over 10 meters, in the early summer. The waters of Green Lake are highest in June, when this extraordinary place is invaded by divers, curious to see what a mountain park looks like underwater. Fish swimming over wooden benches, a grass-covered bottom, trees, roads, roads and even bridges create a surreal setting that feels like it belongs on dry ground. That’s because for half of the year, that’s exactly where it’s at.
Take a look at the amazing images of the Green Lake, shot during the summer season:
via Daily Mail
I wish I could visit this place..
If the water levels are highest in the summer months obviously due to the warm weather then why does it say the highest water levels are in June? Isn’t that a winter month for Australia?
woops, i read australian too quickly. English is my second language. I get confused.
@barb its AUSTRIA not AUSTRALIA. i live in austria and its such a shame everyone mixes us up with australia.
omg sry i just read your second comment ^^
I hope there’s a trail that leads around the lake which landlubbers can take during the summer months, you know, somewhat higher…
lauriette, I live in Australia, and I find absolutely nothing shameful about people occasionally mixing us up with Austria. I really can’t understand where the shame lies in that at all. It’s just a mistake. I don’t think there’s a great deal you can do about it anyway.
to: What?
Did you take into consideration that Lauriette is not YOU and therefore has different opinions and life style?
Hahaha! Shut Up all of you! We are Germans after all!
who cares ???????? the ice weasels are coming
this is probably the only lake i dont find creepy because its crystal clear. I hate when i cant see the bottom of lakes.
Its like a new undiscovered land underwater.
oh wow. this place is beautiful! I WILL visit here sometime!
@barb it’s austria, not australia
i know i got the two mixed up at first aswell
Do the animals living there get out their scuba-gear come summer? Hehe can just imagine… (^_^)
It certainly looks surreal seeing paths and benches underwater. Add the plants and this place is definately the most unique place to dive.
austria, australia, i thought it was upper jebrovia!
Isn’t June the beginning of winter winter in Australia because it’s in the southern hemisphere?
fuck. austria. i’m retarded. nevermind
haha “the ice weasels are coming”.. best response ever!
Here is a video about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIELaqwkmbQ
LMAO! @ ice weasels!
Sooo, Spongebob Squarepants ain’t no joke…. hmm..
This is so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharingl!
Did not know about this lake yet and I live 30 minutes form Austria, maybe I should pay a vist! thanks for the hint.
Looks like an amazing place to see one day.
Would definitely love to see that someday
Amazing pictures
What’s going on?! I read Australia as well lol!!! But wow what a place! Would love to see this place dry and wet, but don’t scuba lol
There is a *beautiful* film on Vimeo about this place. Look it up, it’s surreal!
ATLANTIS HAS BEEN FOUND
But where do all the fish come from?!
You all know that’s in the US as a result of a beaver damn, and a recent one at that the non aquatic plants are still alive
Dude!!! This place is sooooo fake!!!! Like seriously!!!!
as a neighbour to one of Austria’s most famous lakes i must say that the green lake is in fact a spectacle – greeting from Mondsee, Thomas