By Vicky · Published Apr. 26th, 2024
This panoramic walk around three lakes – Barmsee, Geroldsee & Grubsee – is an easy yet super scenic hike with several swimming opportunities.
Location
The walk around the three lakes starts at the car park by Klais Train Station. You can only pay here with the EasyPark App (no machine), so download it beforehand. It’s €5 for a day ticket. You can’t pay by the hour, but this ticket is valid for all car parks in the Krün municipality. Alternatively, you can park in Barmsee, where the same payment system applies.
Three Lakes Hiking Map
Tips
- You can swim in all three of the lakes. They all have their own dedicated lawn to lie on (Liegewiese) with easy access to the lake. The first two lakes are free to enter, but entrance to the Grubsee is paid (€2.50/1.50 per adult/child).
- You can find refreshments in Barmsee, roughly two-thirds of the way around the walk, or in Klais at the beginning/end of the hike.
- You can walk this route with a pram, though it’s mostly a gravel track so an ‘offroad’ pram is recommended and there’s one steep section of downhill which is slightly tricky.
- For other nearby lake walks, hike around Eibsee or check out the short Badersee & Grainau Panorama Walk. For a more exciting family-friendly walk nearby, visit Partnachklamm Gorge. Alternatively, find other great hikes on our Germany Hiking Page.
Three Lakes Hiking Route
Leave the car park at Klais train station and turn right, away from Klais town centre. The lane ends and becomes a paved cycle track. This leads through hay meadows next to the railway, with mountain views if you turn around.
Keep following the cycle track and after about 1.7 km you’ll cross underneath the road and into the small village of Gerold. Turn right at the end of this picturesque hamlet onto a gravel track. This leads through hay meadows dotted with barns to Lake Geroldsee.
Walking past Geroldsee
Geroldsee (also called the Wagenbrüchsee) is a lovely, super scenic lake nestled in a depression between hay meadows and forest, with the high Bavarian Alps in the background. If you want to take a dip, there’s a public swimming area to your right when you first reach the lake.
Hiking onwards, the easy track follows the edge of Geroldsee before heading upwards over a saddle. At the top is a covered picnic bench, the perfect stop for a break with views. Shortly afterwards, the path heads quite steeply downward through a forest.
Walking around Barmsee
At the bottom of the slope, you’ll soon come out into open fields and head towards the shores of Lake Barmsee. This is the largest lake on the walk and has similarly spectacular views to Lake Geroldsee. On the northern side of the lake, near the far side, there’s an area for swimming to your right. It’s rather lovely, with gently sloping grass, trees for shade and great scenery.
Not far afterwards, at the end of the lake, take the path to the right through the pine trees. At the next junction, take the sharp right to follow the path by a small stream through some meadows. This leads you to a small road and into the little village of Barmsee. There’s a Biergarten at Hotel Barmsee if you’re hungry or thirsty.
Visiting Grubsee
Continue walking through Barmsee Village, turning left at the hotel. At the junction in the woods take the left fork to Grubsee and in a few hundred metres you’ll reach the lake. To swim in this lake, you need to pay (€2.50/1.50 per adult/child). Grubsee is one of the warmest lakes in the region and there are a few facilities here such as changing rooms, toilets, a waterslide, and you can also rent boats.
Retrace your steps a few metres and turn left. At the next junction turn left again. This track leads you through the woods and back to the main road in Klais. To cross this road, head left and then across at the junction. Then turn right towards the train station and the car park. This is the end of the Walk around the Three Lakes.
Guidebooks for Hiking in the Alps
For other nearby lake walks, hike around Eibsee or check out the short Badersee & Grainau Panorama Walk. For a more exciting family-friendly walk nearby, visit Partnachklamm Gorge. Alternatively, find other great hikes on our Germany Hiking Page.
FAQS
Yes, you can swim in Barmsee. There’s a dedicated area on the northern side of the lake, from where there’s a great view of the mountains.
It’s just over 5 km to walk around Barmsee, with about 100 metres of uphill. For a longer walk encompassing three lakes, there’s a great loop of about 11 km which includes Geroldsee and Grubsee Lakes.
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