Lake Eibsee
A privately owned mountain lake at 973 m below the Zugspitze, with eight to nine rockfall islets, a 7.5 km shore path and the cable car station a short walk from the water.
- 0.7 mi²Area
- 3,192 ftElevation
At a glance
- A mountain lake at 973 m, 3.5 km north of the Zugspitze
- A 7.5 km shore path, about two hours, fine for pushchairs in summer
- Eight to nine islets left by a rockfall 3,400 to 3,700 years ago
- Swimming allowed, in water at 18 to 22 °C in summer according to Grainau
- The Zugspitze cable car leaves about 200 m from the shore
- The Reserl, a wooden boat that has toured the lake for over 60 years
Where to stay
Hotels, guesthouses and rentals around Eibsee
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GrainauClosest
2.5 mi as the crow flies
Also close to Partnach Gorge
See hotelsGarmisch-Partenkirchen
6.2 mi as the crow flies
Also close to Partnach Gorge
See hotels
Which tour to choose?
| Tour | Duration | Length | Difficulty | Adult price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eibsee-Rundweg | 2 h | 4.7 mi | Easy | |
| Reserl | 30 min | €10.50 (2026) | ||
| Überfahrt zum Seespitz | 15 min | €6.50 (2026) |
Facts checked on October 14, 2026
Tickets and prices
| Parking, Per vehicle | €10 |
|---|
Source: Sportbetriebe am Eibsee (P. u. M. Rieppel)
How the visit runs
Start at the Eibsee-Hotel car park
The Eibsee-Rundweg begins at the car park in front of the Eibsee-Hotel, 100 m from the lake. The operator recommends walking it anticlockwise.
Around the shore 7.5 km
About two hours on an easy path, crossing the small bridge over the sill between the Weitsee and the Untersee.
Out on the water 30 min
In season, the Reserl leaves the boathouse landing on the hour from 10:00 to 16:00 in fine weather, and rowing boats, pedalos and paddleboards are for hire.
Across to Seespitz 15 min
The Reserl also makes a one-way crossing from the boathouse to the Seespitz stop on the west shore.
Up the Zugspitze
The valley station of the Seilbahn Zugspitze is about 200 m from the lake, so the summit fits into the same day.
Boats and paddleboards for hire on Eibsee
| Craft | Capacity | 30 minutes | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowing boat | 4 people | €10.50 | €15.00 |
| Pedalo | 5 people | €12.50 | €18.00 |
| Slide pedalo | 4 people | €20.00 | |
| Paddleboard (paddle and life jacket included) | €18; €32 for 2 hours |
Source: Sportbetriebe am Eibsee, hire prices (2026). Hire is closed since the end of the 2026 season and reopens in May 2027.
Before you go
- Arrival time: on fine days the Zugspitzbahn advises arriving before 10:00, because the single access road can jam.
- Lake car park: run by the Eibsee-Hotel and open from 5:00 to 22:00; €2.50 from 5:00 to 9:30, €10 for up to four hours, then €1 an hour, as displayed in October 2026. Cars still parked after 22:00 are fined €50.
- Vehicles: height is limited to 2.10 m, and there is no parking for campervans or motorhomes of any kind.
- Camping is not allowed at the lake; Grainau has two large campsites a few kilometres away.
- Dogs on the Reserl must wear a muzzle, and dogs other than assistance dogs pay €2.50 for the cruise or €1.50 for the crossing; the crew may refuse wet dogs.
- Paddleboard hire: a driving licence, identity card or passport is the only deposit accepted.
- Bikes are not carried on the bus or the rack railway to the lake.
- In winter the shore path can be walked with a sledge.
What is allowed
| Topic | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Restricted | Sportbetriebe am Eibsee (P. u. M. Rieppel) |
| Strollers | Allowed | Sportbetriebe am Eibsee (P. u. M. Rieppel) |
| Motor vehicles | Restricted | Sportbetriebe am Eibsee (P. u. M. Rieppel) |
Rules checked with the site manager on October 14, 2026. They can change at short notice: check before you go.
When to go
- Best time to visit May to October
How to get there
EibseeGateway towns
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen13 kmLake Eibsee
One road leads to the lake; its car park is 100 m from the water.
- Garmisch-Partenkirchenabout 30 minLake Eibsee
Bayerische Zugspitzbahn rack railway; Eibsee station is 300 m from the lake.
- München Hauptbahnhofabout 90 minLake Eibsee
Deutsche Bahn to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then the rack railway or bus 323.
- Munich95 kmLake Eibsee
By the A95.
- Grainauabout 1 h 30Lake Eibsee
Several easy, well-marked paths with little climbing.
Combine in the same day
Partnach Gorge is 6.8 mi away. Staying in Grainau puts both within easy reach.
Eibsee lies at 3,192 ft, three and a half kilometres north of the Zugspitze, in the Wetterstein mountains of Bavaria and on the land of Grainau. The lake is privately owned, by the Rieppel family and the Eibsee-Hotel, which also run the boats and the car park on its shore.
A glacier basin, a rockfall and the yew trees
Two events shaped the 0.7 mi² of water you see today, and a tree gave it its name:
- The Isar-Loisach glacier left a hollow behind as it retreated.
- About 3,400 to 3,700 years ago, a rockfall covering 5 mi², some 350 million m³ of rock, swept across the middle and eastern part of the lake.
- Its debris still shows as eight to nine islets along the north shore, about 1.2 hectares in all, depending on how they are counted.
- The name comes from the yew (Eibe in German), once very common around the shore.
A lake with no visible outflow
Eibsee is a Blindsee: no stream drains it above ground, and its water leaves underground through the Untersee. A small bridge on the shore path crosses the narrow sill between the Weitsee and the Untersee.
- At low water you can watch the lake pass beneath that sill.
- In 2026 the level was the lowest since records began in 2008, 1.0 to 5 ft below normal, and the sill ran dry.
Drinking water for 30,000 people
For the municipality of Grainau, Eibsee and the Zugspitze rank among the biggest attractions in Germany. The lake is also a working reservoir, and that shapes what visitors are asked to do on its shore:
- It supplies drinking water to 30,000 people and sits in a water protection zone, so Grainau asks everyone to keep it clean.
- There is a single access road and a limited number of parking spaces; when they fill up, warning signs appear from the end of the motorway and overflow car parks open along the railway line.
- Two places to eat stand by the water: the Eibsee-Pavillon, with its terrace, and the Berggasthof Eibsee Alm, which has a large playground.
Rack railway, bus and the Deutschland-Ticket
Deutsche Bahn trains stop at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, not at the lake. From there, two connections climb on to Eibsee, and a third option leaves the train earlier:
- The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn rack railway leaves 656 ft from the Garmisch-Partenkirchen station and stops 984 ft from the lake.
- Buses run from Garmisch-Partenkirchen through Grainau to Eibsee; the stop is about 328 ft from the water.
- Passengers can also leave the train at Untergrainau and continue by bus.
- The Deutschland-Ticket covers the rack railway only on the valley stretch between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Grainau; beyond Grainau you need a separate ticket.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to walk around Eibsee?
About two hours for the 7.5 km loop, which starts at the car park in front of the Eibsee-Hotel. The operator recommends going anticlockwise.
Can you swim in Lake Eibsee?
Yes. Grainau and the lake operator both allow swimming, with many access points around the shore and water at 18 to 22 °C in summer.
How much is parking at Eibsee?
€10 for up to four hours at the lake car park, or €2.50 between 5:00 and 9:30, as displayed in October 2026. At the Zugspitzbahn car park, the fee depends on whether you buy a mountain ticket.
How do you get to Eibsee from Munich by train?
Take Deutsche Bahn from München Hauptbahnhof to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, about 90 minutes, then the Zugspitzbahn rack railway, about 30 minutes to the lake.
Can you rent a boat on Eibsee?
Yes, in season: rowing boats, pedalos, slide pedalos and paddleboards. A rowing boat for four cost €15 an hour in 2026.
Is the Eibsee loop suitable for pushchairs?
Yes. The operator describes the shore path as passable with a pushchair in summer and with a sledge in winter, and Grainau confirms it suits pushchairs.
Can you combine Eibsee and the Zugspitze in one day?
Yes. The valley station of the Zugspitze cable car is about 200 m from the lake.
Nearby
Sources
6 sources
- Sportbetriebe am Eibsee (P. u. M. Rieppel) consulted on October 14, 2026
- Gemeinde Grainau (Zugspitzdorf Grainau) consulted on October 14, 2026
- OpenStreetMap consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikidata consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia (de) consulted on October 14, 2026
- x consulted on October 14, 2026