The best hiking routes in CHKO Broumovsko

CHKO Broumovsko is defined by its dramatic sandstone relief, where massive rock towers, deep ravines, and labyrinthine formations rise sharply from the surrounding agricultural plateau. Unlike typical mountain ranges with continuous ridges, this protected area consists of distinct sandstone cities and forested tables. Walkers will find themselves navigating narrow, damp gorges where cold air pools, before climbing steep iron ladders and stone steps to reach exposed, pine-clad rocky ledges. Underfoot, the terrain alternates between soft, deep sand on the ravine floors and hard, uneven sandstone bedrock on the high ridges.

The landscape is a direct result of millions of years of erosion acting on Cretaceous sedimentary layers. On the trail, you will notice how the rock faces are highly textured, showing honeycomb weathering, deep horizontal fissures, and vertical cracks that dictate the paths of the trails. While the lower valleys are dominated by dark spruce and beech forests with damp, mossy ground, the upper rocks are dry and supporting only hardy, stunted Scots pines. Boardwalks are frequently laid over the wettest valley floors to protect the fragile soil from erosion.

This area does not offer alpine peaks or vast meadows; the views are intimate and framed by vertical stone walls. The most popular rock labyrinths can become highly congested during the summer months, particularly in July and August, while the quieter forested ridges of the Jestřebí hory offer a much more solitary walking experience. It is a landscape of verticality and enclosed spaces, where progress is often slow due to the constant climbing and descending of rugged stone staircases.