Kopssee Loop

The Kopssee is an Illwerke storage reservoir between the Verwall and Silvretta ranges, just below the Zeinisjoch pass (1,842 m) on the border between Vorarlberg and Tyrol. It was built from 1962 to 1969; the 122 m high arch dam holds back 42.9 million cubic metres of water, partly brought in through some 33 km of tunnels from Tyrolean streams, which drives the Kops I and II power stations in Partenen. The Kopssee Loop follows the shoreline path once around the lake: 4.6 km, 48 m of ascent, between 1,811 and 1,834 m – a high-altitude run without climbs on gravel and meadow tracks, with the dam, the Silvretta peaks and the Zeinisjoch as backdrop. The 49 minutes in our fact box is a guide value for walkers; Dutch travel blogs rank the lake among the most beautiful reservoirs in Vorarlberg. Refreshments are available at the Zeinisjoch.

Getting there is currently the real challenge: the Silvretta High Alpine Road is closed on the Vorarlberg side until around 2030, so by car the lake is reached only from Galtür (Tyrol) over the Zeinisjoch – about two hours from our house via the Arlberg and the Paznaun valley. On foot you take the Tafamuntbahn from Partenen (summer 2026: 4 June to 18 October) and then hike via the Wiegensee and the Verbellaalpe to the Kopssee, a mountain walk of several hours through the Verwall Natura 2000 area.

Last updated: 17 Sep 2026 · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)