Schwarzer See (Black Lake) near Nauders, Tyrol

This moor lake lies dark and mysterious, surrounded by spruce and stone pine forests between the Großer and Kleiner Mutzkopf at over 1,700 m above sea level near the Swiss border. Because of its immensely diverse flora and fauna, it is one of the Tyrolean natural monuments and has been under special protection since 1968.

The Black Lake is a natural jewel of unique charm. It is located in a moorland area – mountain pine bog in the north, quaking bog and fen in the south – with a very specific and diverse fauna and flora. Black and common scoters are native here, nesting and breeding. There are no fish in the lake, as they could not survive in the oxygen-poor water. However, frogs, toads, dragonflies and many other rare insects are present.

In the shore area, various marsh plants can be found, grasses, rhododendrons, blueberries, and cranberries. The many water lilies that thrive in this altitude in a unique density and transform the lake into a sea of flowers are particularly striking. The surrounding moor landscapes are also of great interest to science from a vegetation history perspective. Organic substances are well preserved in the peat soil, so that samples taken from it provide information about the vegetation since the last ice age about 10,000 years ago.

Over the course of history, the natural jewel has already suffered some wounds inflicted by humans. In the 19th century, peat was cut for heating and water from the lake was diverted over irrigation channels to the agriculturally used meadows near Nauders. In the 1960s, there were plans to develop it as a bathing lake, for which a non-swimmer pool was excavated. Fortunately, the meter-deep peat soil thwarted this project, and since then nature has long since regenerated.

The region is now a beautiful and popular hiking area. From the enchanting Black Lake, one can continue to the slightly higher Green Lake, which is known for its abundance of fish and is also protected as a nature reserve. From here, a not too difficult trail leads to the 1,978 m high Großer Mutzkopf. The neighboring Kleiner Mutzkopf (1,812 m) is also easily accessible by chairlift. For mountain bikers, there is also a route from Nauders to the two lakes.