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Bear trail Šumava

The Bear Trail is the second oldest trail in the Czech Republic and is the oldest trail in southern Bohemia. It passes through the Šumava Protected Landscape Area and has the character of a hiking trail, stretching through the Šumava forests, around a number of rock formations and the Schwarzenberg shipping canal.

Information for visitors

GPS: 48.81679860, 13.87197580
Bear trail Šumava map

Interesting facts Bear trail Šumava

The trail is named after the last bear in Šumava, which is mentioned at one of the stops.

Attractions of the trail

The bear trail stretches through the south-eastern area of ​​the Šumava Protected Landscape Area, near the Lipno reservoir and through the territory of the Prachatice district. It connects the Černý Kříž and Ovesná railway stations on the way from Volar to Český Krumlov.

TIP: If you want to ease the effort, set off on a path from the Black Cross, from where the path leads mostly downhill and is less demanding. If you want to shorten the trip, it is possible to go from the village of Jelení by route to Ovesná. You will not miss the most beautiful rock formations and you can also drive to Jelení by car and leave it in the parking lot.

In any case, you can travel in both directions. The total elevation gain is 330 meters and you have to follow the yellow tourist signs.

Bärenstein - a monument to the last bear in Šumava and other interesting stops

In the places where the granite stone stands today, a bear was shot dead on November 14 by the son of a Schwarzenberg gamekeeper. It allegedly happened at the moment when the bears were attacked by four hunters. You can currently see a stuffed bear as an exhibit at the castle in Hluboká nad Vltavou.

Another interesting place and stop on the route is the Schwarzenberg canal, thanks to which wood was floated from less accessible places in the Šumava to Vienna. It is currently one of our most famous technical monuments.

Jelení jezírko - an artificially built reservoir, used to increase the water level on the Scharzenberg canal, is definitely worth stopping.

While walking along the Bear Trail, you will come across a number of interesting rock formations, such as Gingerbread Hill or Dragon's Mouth. There is a rock town on Dragon Hill, and if you come here in the winter, you will be able to observe icicles on Dragon's Mouth, which resemble dragon's teeth. There is also Bear View, Moss Pyramid or Giant Cubes.

The total length of the route is 14 km and the shortened route from Jelení is 7 km long.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová