Obersee (Königssee)

Obersee is the small upper basin of the Königssee lake in Bavaria, Germany, located within Berchtesgaden National Park. It sits beyond the narrow main body of Königssee and is noted for its clear water and steep mountain backdrop.

The area is appreciated for short boat excursions and walking trails that link the main Königssee points to the western Salet landing and the trail to the Röthbachfall waterfall. The setting is compact and alpine, with steep rock faces and forested slopes around the lake.

The basin formed naturally by glacial action and has remained a distinctive sub-section of the larger Königssee system, with limited development and protection under the national park. Its watercourse is fed from high alpine streams and falls.

Obersee sits at the southern end of the Königssee, surrounded by the Berchtesgaden massif; the nearest town with road access is Schönau am Königssee, a few kilometres from the main boat landing on the lower lake.

• Access: Reached by boat from the main Königssee boat service or by hiking trails within Berchtesgaden National Park; boating schedules vary seasonally.

What to See #

• Salet landing: Salet is the landing point and small flat area at the west end of Obersee where boats from Königssee disembark and a short trail heads to the Röthbachfall.
• Röthbachfall: Röthbachfall is the high waterfall that feeds the Obersee and can be seen from the trail and boat landing; it is one of Germany's tallest free-falling waterfalls.