Palpuognasee - A beautiful circular hike around the lake
Everyone knows the famous Albula Pass in the canton of Grisons. However, not the colored mountain lake located above the train station Preda, which lies at an altitude of over 1900 meters. A beautiful circular hike that is not only beautiful in summer but also worth a top excursion in autumn. Because here you can find larches that turn gold money in autumn.
Arrival: Possible by car, but very few parking spaces available on the roadside. The journey by public transport is comfortable to Preda station with the train of the Rhaetian Railway where you can discover many beautiful places in the Grisons.
Equipment: Good footwear, food items , It has many barbecue places
Difficulty: Very easy, the beginning could still be a bit hard for some but otherwise always straight ahead.
Start and End: Start and end is the train station Preda
Time: Hiking time is 1:30h with many photo breaks must be planned 2h.
Ascent and Descent: Ascent is 200 meters , Descent is 200 meters
Underground: 4km nature trail , very much over footbridges directly by the lake.
Animals: A few cows if you are patient and lucky you can see marmots from far away.
Tip: The mountain lake is worth a visit in autumn. Because there it is a play of colors with the larches. As well as a tip the hike to the Albula Pass high because there you can see the lake from above. Afterwards you can hike back to the lake. Or further up to the Lai Alv (extremely steep).
Restaurants: It has no restaurant, but many barbecue places.
Highlights: The highlight for me was the blue mountain lake. In addition, I thought it was great around the lake again and again footbridges where you walk over rivers. You can also fish, please inform yourself before you fish there because you need a patent in Switzerland.
The start of the hike is for many the train station Preda in the beautiful Grisons. If you arrive by train, you will see the Landwasser Viaduct and the Albula line with its confusing curves on the way. When you get off the train, you go in the direction of the valley, not in the direction of the tunnel. Because there you will already find the hiking trails where points to the Palpuognasee (Lai da Palpuogna). Alternatively, you can walk all along the road up to the lake.
But I recommend to go through the beautiful forest to the lake. There one wanders on beautiful footpaths between blooming green. The other running along the road I can not recommend, because the Albula Pass is a very busy pass.
The ascent to the lake is about 200 meters, once you reach the bench with imposing view, you've almost made it. You will see the bench with certainty :) Because from here the path runs only straight ahead and a slight slope.
If one reaches denn lake, one sees a beautiful clear lake, where in the morning anglers pursue their hobby. It is decorated with many benches where you can just switch off, and enjoy the peace.
The trail runs mostly directly along the lake, you can not hike wrong. Until one dives at a point more into the green but more and more hears how a stream approaches.
The special footbridge over which you walk runs over half the lake, rushing streams that fill the lake again. The nature park "Parc Ela" is one of the largest protected areas in Switzerland. Lake Palpuogna is located in the middle of this beautiful area.
Once you have crossed half the lake, you have the choice to hike up to Crap Alv, which is about 100 meters higher. The path runs on a hiking trail or you can also take the road and hike up. In both cases one has an impressive view.
Or you can hike the other side back to the starting point. By walking back to the station Preda and from there, for example, to the Landwasser Viaduct or other planned hike. For the whole hike goes about three hours with pleasant pace and difficulty.
Details and Altitude profile