Hiking Sněžka: Conquering the Highest Peak
As you probably know from my Instagram, I spend most of my time in South Bohemia, especially in Šumava. But this time, I decided to make a change and head all the way north to conquer the highest mountain in the Czech Republic, Sněžka. Although they say Sněžka isn't technically our highest mountain because its actual summit lies on the Polish side, it holds a special place in our Czech hearts. It's an unwritten rule—everyone should visit it at least once in their life. And if you're not one of those people who spend weekends exclusively on the couch in front of the TV or a gaming console, I believe this hike will hook you too.
We drove through Trutnov to Velká Úpa near Pec pod Sněžkou. Honestly, the prices scared me a bit the day before; compared to Šumava, everything is a bit more expensive here. Parking is 300 CZK per day, whereas in Šumava I usually pay 100 CZK. But I get it—the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše), and especially the area around Sněžka, are very busy with tourists, so the prices probably help regulate the number of cars and visitors. In the end, we decided to park in Velká Úpa because directly in Pec pod Sněžkou, there are even entry fees in some places. Velká Úpa has a large multi-story parking garage—clean, organized, and with modern facilities. That's why I don't regret the parking fee, because Sněžka is simply worth it. I must also praise the toilets right in the parking garage, which were really clean, and you can even find vending machines there with power banks, charging adapters, and small items for tourists. I haven't seen that anywhere else before—quite a pleasant surprise. Before I get back to the hike itself, I have to say we were glad we dressed warmly because winter clothes came in handy. It was necessary! A few days before the trip, they reported that it had already snowed on Sněžka and Praděd, and that's exactly what happened.
There are, of course, more parking options nearby, so you can choose whatever suits you. But I recommend this place—verified and stress-free.
The Hike up Sněžka
And now, finally, to the hike itself! It’s best if I show you the route we took up. We extended the journey a little bit, but it was worth it. First, we stopped at the ski resort in Velká Úpa, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding hills. I was pleasantly surprised by the children's playground featuring original wooden animal statues with a geometric design. Additionally, the "Stork's Path" (Čapí cesta) winds through the trees—a wooden walkway with various elements that we obviously had to walk through. A great spot for a short break before the actual climb.
So let's go back to the very beginning of our journey. We started from parking P1, the aforementioned parking garage in Velká Úpa. From there, we crossed the main road and headed along the Úpa River. Near the Čertice pension, we crossed back to the other side, joining the red tourist trail intersection. This path also serves as a cross-country skiing or cycling route, and it started climbing quite steeply right away. I thought that on this hike, I might beat the elevation gain I achieved climbing from Železná Ruda to Großer Arber. Wrong! Velká Úpa is located higher than Železná Ruda, so the total elevation gain wasn't higher in the end, even though Sněžka itself is taller than Großer Arber. We continued along this path to a resting spot at a crossroads, where we switched to the yellow tourist trail. The climb continued steadily—good thing we already have some miles under our belts from previous trips! If this were our first real hike, we probably would have left our breath and soul there. (laughs) At the next crossroads, we turned from the yellow trail onto the red-dashed one and continued until the intersection of the yellow tourist trail and the blue skiing route. Just before that, we passed the Mountain Porters' Path (Cesta horských nosičů), a blue-dashed trail with its own story and tradition. At the mentioned crossroads, we joined Kubát's Path (Kubátova cesta), which we didn't take toward Sněžka yet, but toward the lookout and the playground. There is also the "Black Stork's Nest" (Hnízda čápa černého) treetop path, which we naturally walked through. Finally, we reached a point with a "no entry" sign due to private property, but even from there, there was a beautiful view of the Sagasser Huts (Sagasserovy Boudy).
The views from here were absolutely amazing, and the cows roaming freely added to the charm. I must admit, when I caught a glimpse through the window at Růžohorka of fruit "mountain" dumplings being prepared, it was hard to keep going. But I had to; after all, we still had a fair distance to cover and time was ticking. Following Kubát's path, we reached Růžová hora, where the cable car station is located. It's ideal for those who don't have much time or wouldn't manage the hike, but we decided to go on foot. The real mountain atmosphere started here—clouds touched the treetops, and as we climbed higher, they surrounded us as well. For the first time in my life, I touched real clouds. And that childhood question immediately popped into my head: "I wonder what clouds taste like? Like whipped cream?" Well... I tasted them (laughs) and I have to say, they taste like nothing, maybe like distilled water. But it was a unique experience! Along the way, we encountered remnants of snow—small patches at first, but the higher we went, the more winter announced itself. Visibility was minimal, not because of fog, but because we were walking directly inside the clouds. And yes, someone had even built a small snowman on a table at a resting spot. It was cold and freezing, yet incredibly beautiful.
Early October and I'm standing in the middle of snow and ice—simply a dream. It might sound strange, but I love winter. When it's this clean and magical, nothing compares to it. We continued along the Krkonoše Tundra educational trail upward. Cable car cabins passed by, and all around, you could see the wind creating various shapes from the ice, as nature literally works its magic there. I think we even met the actor Mr. Vyskočil (I wasn't sure, but it really looked like him, and why not, even actors like hiking!). On the path, we met tourists of various nationalities—Czechs, Poles, Slovaks, and others. And even though we couldn't see a thing, it had an unbelievable atmosphere. Something you just won't experience on the couch at home. And finally, we reached the summit of Sněžka! Hurray! Although there was zero visibility, that feeling... it was priceless.
We stopped at the Post Office (Poštovna) for a hot chocolate, and I must say, after that frost, it was a divine reward. By the way, this Post Office is not the original one; the old one was moved to Monínec near Příbram. This is its new version, but it still has its charm. On the summit, besides the Post Office, you can see the Chapel of St. Lawrence, a small rotunda covered in ice and frost that looked literally like something out of a fairy tale. On the Polish side, there is the Wysokogórskie Obserwatorium Meteorologiczne na Śnieźce, but due to the poor visibility, it looked almost abandoned.
The Way Down and the Polish Side
Returning for a moment to the Post Office—inside there is a screen showing the current temperature and wind speed. Outside it was +1.6 °C, but it felt much lower. Take a look at the photo of the screen I took. Since visibility at the top wasn't great, we decided to head down a different way than we came up. We wanted to see it from the Polish side too, along the Czech-Polish Friendship Trail, which is a red tourist route leading along the ridge. Up to Dóm Śląski, the views were wonderful—truly breathtaking, though they would have been even more stunning with better visibility. From there, we crossed back over the border to the Czech Republic.
We continued along Kavin's Path (Kavinova cesta), which is a blue-dashed route. I chose it because you can see the waterfalls of the Rudný stream and also the spot where snow melts last in the Czech Republic—sometimes as late as July! It must be a strange feeling—warm everywhere else, yet remnants of snow still here.
The way down was beautiful, but I'll admit my knees and legs were starting to let me know they'd had enough. Maybe that's why I prefer ascending to descending, though both have their pros and cons. What struck me during the descent is that the Giant Mountains seem more like a spruce monoculture, unlike Šumava, which is more diverse. Šumava has its place in my heart, but the Giant Mountains definitely found a spot there too. It was amazing. Beautiful views into the valley opened up along the way, and finally, we reached the chapel in Obří důl. This part of the route passes through places where the bark beetle once caused destruction to the Giant Mountain forests. You realize the power of nature here, but also its vulnerability. From the chapel, we continued along the blue trail back to Pec pod Sněžkou. The journey follows the Úpa River, which is interestingly regulated in several places by stone barriers. You pass picturesque mountain cottages, paddocks with sheep, and even llamas, which surprised and amused me at the same time. Finally, we reached the lower station of the cable car, where we checked the prices—they're not as bad as I expected. We'll definitely try the cable car sometime, but hiking has its own magic. We also walked through Pec pod Sněžkou and peaked at the dam near the Zelený and Modrý důl circuit. We didn't go there this time, but it looked inviting. Slowly, we returned to the parking garage, paid the parking fee, and headed home.
Summary and Recommendations
I truly recommend the hike up Sněžka; it's an unforgettable experience. While choosing a day with good visibility is hard to plan, it's worth it even when the weather isn't perfect. Definitely avoid periods like summer holidays, public holidays, and weekends when it's full of tourists. We went on a weekday and it was ideal—quiet, spacious, and peaceful. If you want to head out from the Polish side as well, keep in mind that there is an entry fee for the national park: 9 PLN (approx. 52 CZK) per day or 24 PLN (approx. 138 CZK) for three days. Entry to the Czech side is free, but definitely stick to marked trails and don't wander off—the nature there is very sensitive. The entire hike was a spectacular experience for me. I believe I'll return again, perhaps with better visibility and new perspectives. So, will you visit Sněžka too? Will you go on foot or take the cable car? However you decide, I wish you much strength and joy in your movement.
Thank you for reading this far, and I hope I’ve motivated you to head out and get to know our most famous mountain.
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Taken on October 2, 2025.
Taken on October 2, 2025.
