Silvretta Reservoir: High-Alpine Lake at the Bielerhöhe

At the Bielerhöhe, the highest point of the Silvretta High Alpine Road, the Silvretta reservoir sits over 2,000 meters above sea level, enclosed by the glaciated three-thousand-meter peaks of the Silvretta group. Few reservoirs in the Alps sit this high or this dramatically amid high mountains.

A Lake at 2,030 Meters

The reservoir was built in the 1930s for hydropower generation and stores meltwater from the surrounding glaciers and snowfields. The massive dam wall and the emerald-green water stand in contrast to the barren, high-alpine rock faces that surround the lake on all sides.

The Silvretta High Alpine Road

The reservoir is reached via the Silvretta High Alpine Road, which climbs through numerous hairpin bends between Vorarlberg and Tyrol to the Bielerhöhe pass, one of Austria's most spectacular alpine roads. Open from May to October, it draws drivers, motorcyclists, and cyclists alike.

Hiking Around the Bielerhöhe

From the Bielerhöhe, trails lead around the reservoir and up to huts such as the Wiesbadener Hütte, a classic base for tours into the Silvretta group. The combination of high-mountain panorama, turquoise water, and alpine stillness makes the Bielerhöhe one of Vorarlberg's most striking destinations.