The Heidsee Lake (Igl Lai in Romansh) is a mountain lake located between Valbella and Lenzerheide, canton Graubünden, Switzerland. It is one of more than 1,000 lakes in Graubünden. This is a great spot for a family outing where everyone can bathe, play, and enjoy water sports.
Located 1,484 meters above sea level, the mountain lake is right next to the Rothorn cable car. With its many activities and beautiful mountain backdrop, Lenzerheide’s appeal lies in its many family-friendly activities. In summer, bathers and sports enthusiasts enjoy Heidsee Lake’s warm waters since the temperature of Heidsee Lake rises above 20 Celsius.
History of Heidsee Lake
Heidsee Lake lies in Lenzerheide Holiday Region. This area is in the Vaz/Obervaz community, which also covers Lain, Muldain, Zorten, along with Lenzerheide and Valbella. Romansh and German are the local languages in the region. The dialect is known as Surmiran.
Approximately 600 meters by 900 meters, the mountain lake is 41 hectares in size. Originally, the lake was a result of glacial meltwater. It was Johann Brügger-Battaglia and his son Georg Brügger-Vieli who enlarged the lake and built a small fisher hut named Island Chalet.
It is an interesting lake in that it has two parts. Separating both parts is a dam built from 1917 to 1919. Apparently, this dam raised the lake’s level by 1.7 meters and caused major changes to the lake’s landscape. This dam also provides a walkway that leads to a parking lot on the other side of the street.
The city of Zurich uses the lake to generate electricity.
Since then, various conservation efforts have ensured that the lake remains intact. In fact, the marsh here has become a botanical rarity. Trout, crappies, and other kinds of fish live in the lake. Between June 1st and October 15th, fishing is also permitted.
Things to do in Heidsee
Bathing and Playing
The water here warms up to over 20 degrees Celsius in the summer, so you can easily swim in it. If you are looking for a sandy beach in the lake, you can find it in certain areas. Swimming isn’t popular outside of summer because it’s too cold.
The smaller area to the south features a shallow lake and a playground. Families will love it. With a pirate ship, a bridge, a barge, and a sandy beach, the park is the perfect place for families, especially small children.
In addition to the Heidsee lake, the Lenzerheide region offers an Outdoor Pool in Churwalden and the H2LAI Water World.
Water Sports
Near the Rothorn Cable car is the larger part. The Lenzerheide Wassersportcenter (Lenzerheide Water Sports Center) is situated halfway between the larger and smaller parts of the lake. This modern water sports facility opened in 2015 and provides visitors with a wide range of equipment.
There are several types of boats you can rent – pedal boats, rowing boats, or kayaks. Additionally, you can rent equipment for other sports such as windsurfing, sailing, stand-up paddling (SUP), or beach volleyball. The beach volleyball court is free to use.
In the summertime, theLenzerheide Water Sports Center offers both beginner and advanced sailing and windsurfing lessons. It is mandatory that the participant be able to swim. It is also important to wear the proper attire and a swim vest.
The water sports center has a small lounge for cold and hot drinks, ice cream, and small snacks.
During the winter, the water sports center is closed. Other than that, they are open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. They even extend their hours until 8:30 PM in the summer.
Foxtrail is a thrilling scavenger hunt in Switzerland, and it is also available in the Lenzerheide mountains. All groups are welcome to experience the trails, especially families with children over 8 years old. Anda Foxtrail covers the Heidsee Lake. Anda lake trail can be done all year round and takes around two hours.
To ensure participants can solve the puzzles, the fox will use mysterious flags.
The lake trail can be started between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM.
A family pass costs 69 CHF. Adults pay 26 CHF and children pay 14 CHF.
In contrast to the Muntanella Trail, the Anda Trail is open every day of the year since it is not reliant on the mountain railway.
Fishing
Several times per season, fish are released into the lake. It is possible to catch tench, rainbow trout, and brown trout in this lake. The lake is managed by the local community of Vaz/Obervaz.
In Lenzerheide, fishing tickets are available at several locations, including at the Tourist Office and Louis Sport.
A day license costs CHF 25 while a season license costs CHF 310. Licenses are only issued upon presentation of the SANA (Swiss Fishing ID) or Swiss Sport Fishing Brevet.
Between June 1st and October 15th, fishing is permitted in Heidsee.
Walking
Many people walk along the lake. It is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll. There is an enjoyable distance to relax on the path that is mostly flat.
Cross-country Skiing
The area is transformed into a cross-country skiing track during winter. Around the lake, they have two lanes – one for cross-country skiers, and another for winter walkers.
There are many cross-country ski trails in the Lenzerheide region. The region has 56 kilometers of cross-country skiing tracks. And there is a biathlon facility nearby in Roland Arena Lenzerheide. There are cross-country classic and skating tracks around the lake.
Dining at their Restaurants
There is a small outdoor restaurant called Kiosk Canols that serves quite good food. Especially in sunny weather, they are extremely popular. Occasionally, you will need to wait for a table because they have a lot of guests. A second kiosk can be found on the other side of the shallow beach and playground – the Kiosk Lido.
Additionally, there is the Forellenstube with its sun terrace on the dam of the lake. They serve fish specialties, fondue chinoise, and bourguignonne.
Summary
There is nothing better than a family outing at the Heidsee Lake in Lenzerheide. It is possible to find something here for everyone.
The water center offers equipment to rent for those in need of action. Young children can play on the shallow, sandy beach or on the pirate ship. The Foxtrail helps older children practice their problem-solving skills. It is also possible to just stroll around the lake on a relaxing day out. These are just a few of the best things to do in Heidsee Lake.
Regardless of the season, this mountain lake is absolutely worth the trip. Whether it’s spring when flowers bloom, summer when the water is warmer, winter when cross-country skiing takes place, or autumn when the leaves turn colors – definitely visit Heidsee in Lenzerheide.
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Darla Uhl is the owner of TouringSwitzerland.com. She is based in the Lake Zurich region in Switzerland and has a second home in Grisons. Having lived almost 20 years in Switzerland, she's traveled extensively all over the country.
Darla's favorite regions to visit in Switzerland include Engadin, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and Valais. She loves spending time with her family, hiking, visiting museums, and reading books.