The best hiking routes in Přírodní park Novohradské hory

Přrodn park Novohradsk hory is a heavily forested highland along the Czech-Austrian border, defined by its isolation and dense canopy rather than dramatic peaks. You will not find jagged ridges or deep canyons here; instead, the landscape consists of gently rounded granite hills, vast spruce plantations, and pockets of ancient beech forest. Because this border zone was closed to the public for decades during the twentieth century, the area lacks the extensive tourist infrastructure found in other Czech mountains, leaving a network of quiet, often cracked asphalt forestry roads and rough gravel tracks.

Underfoot, the terrain alternates between these hard-surfaced forestry lanes and soft, damp earth paths that skirt peat bogs and dark, slow-moving streams. Water is a constant presence in the landscape, visible in the stone-lined channels of the historic Bušek canal and the marshy clearings where mosses and ferns thrive under the damp canopy. Walking here requires an appreciation for subtle changes in forest composition, from the dark, uniform rows of managed spruce to the chaotic, fallen timber of the protected old-growth beech enclaves.

In late autumn, particularly around November, the beech leaves turn a deep copper, contrasting sharply with the dark green conifers and the grey granite boulders scattered across the forest floor. While the main trailheads near Hajn dšl see some foot traffic, the deeper interior trails remain largely empty of crowds. This is a landscape for walkers who prefer long, steady climbs through dense woodland and quiet, enclosed valleys over wide panoramic views.