Bohemian Switzerland opens for new season following last year's fires

The national park in Bohemian Switzerland has opened to the public but still suffers from last year’s devastating fires. The park administration has posted information about what parts are open to the public and what is still closed. It has also prepared new maps and leaflets. Shuttle buses have also been introduced inside the park.

The fire raged for almost three weeks in the summer of 2022, and was declared fully extinguished on Aug. 12. It affected an area of over 1,000 hectares including some of the park’s most popular areas. The rocky forested area is in the northern part of Czechia and extends into neighboring Germany, where it is called Saxon Switzerland.

"This year's season is affected by some restrictions due to last year's fire, but it also brings a lot of news for tourists. These include the opening of the Mlýnská stezka (Mill Trail), a new shuttle service, and more convenient travel throughout the region," České Švýcarsko director Jan Šmíd said in a press release. České Švýcarsko is the non-profit company that oversees the park.

"All this will make a visit to Bohemian Switzerland, which definitely has a lot to offer tourists and vacationers, more pleasant," Šmíd added.

The landscape has changed after the fire, and people can see the renewal of the forests. Formerly hidden rocks are now visible.

The iconic stone archway Pravčická brána (Pravčice Gate) and Divoká soutěska (Wild Gorge) are accessible, while much of the Gabrielina stezka (Gabriela's Trail), which is normally the park’s main trail, and Edmundova souteska (Edmund’s Gorge) are closed.

Pravčická brána will be accessible from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached by bus or on foot via Mlýnská stezka.

Mlýnská stezka will have a new lookout point along the route with a telescope so people can see the Pravčická brána and other sights.

Visitors can go boating in Divoká soutěska daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a choice of two routes. The first, marked in green, is longer. A shorter route involves a 400-meter-long descent. Refreshment stands and toilets are not yet open, but this may change during the season. Trips to the gorge are unsuitable for people with limited mobility or children in strollers.

Hikers will soon be able to go to Hřebenovka through Bohemian Switzerland along a route made popular at the beginning of the last century that led from Aš to Praděd. The grand opening is scheduled for April 25 in the village of Sněžník.

Shuttle buses will run every half hour during the high season, and this will make seeing more sights easier, especially for families with children.

In an effort to get people to leave their cars at home, the Ústí nad Labem region will give visitors who spend at least two nights at the destination free public transport in the entire area. People will receive a code that they can put into the DÚKapka mobile application, which will generate a free ticket.

Parking in Hrensko is often difficult during the high season, and using public transit will mean people won’t have to worry about that.