The toll road to the reservoir runs for over 13 kilometres from Ginzling.
The Schlegeis reservoir was built to ensure that the abundant resources of Zillertal water and hydro-electricity would be used to its fullest extent. This project was preceded by almost 10 years of geological surveys and studies before construction work began in 1965. Almost a year of the six and a half allocated to the construction project was spent opening up the area to traffic. Some 24 km of road had to be built up through some enormously difficult terrain. The project now features numerous tunnels, bridges and avalanche galleries which also now ensure a secure link in winter between Mayrhofen and Ginzling. Almost a million cubic metres of concrete were used to build the 131m high dam, and the excavation of almost 50 million cubic metres of rock. 200,000 tons of cement had to be transported on the Zillertal railway to Mayrhofen and reloaded there on trucks carrying their loads on the recently built road to the site. The final bucket of cement arrived in August 1971. Guided tours are available of the interior workings of the 725m long and 131m high dam wall.

The Via Alpina, which is one of the longest and most spectacular hiking trails in Europe, passes
by the reservoir on its way towards the Italian border.