The best hiking routes in Ústí nad Labem Region

The Ústí nad Labem Region is defined by a stark contrast between dramatic sandstone canyons and volcanic hills. In the north, Národní park České Švýcarsko and the adjacent CHKO Labské pískovce present a landscape of towering sandstone towers, deep ravines, and narrow gorges. Underfoot, you will mostly walk on sandy paths, pine needles, and occasionally wooden boardwalks or steep metal stairs wedged into rock crevices. This is not a region of high alpine peaks, but rather a labyrinth of stone where the vertical cliffs dominate the view.

Further south, the landscape changes completely in CHKO České středohoří. Here, the path climbs grassy, conical hills of volcanic origin, where the ground is firmer, often consisting of loose basalt scree and clay. These hills rise sharply from the surrounding agricultural plains, offering wide views of the river valley below. In May, the southern slopes of these volcanic peaks are notable for their dry, steppe-like grasslands and blooming wildflowers, which contrast with the damp, shaded ravines of the sandstone areas.

For those seeking quieter, forested ridges, CHKO Lužické hory in the east offers gentler terrain with mixed beech forests and granite outcrops, where the paths are generally softer dirt tracks. While the sandstone areas near the main gorges can become busy with visitors, these eastern hills and the quiet river valleys of Přírodní park Horní Střela in the south see far fewer walkers. Choosing where to walk in this region depends on whether you prefer navigating tight rock labyrinths or climbing exposed volcanic domes.