Hike to the Kleť summit in Blanský Forest

If you have already travelled the length and breadth of Český Krumlov, you can try a half-day or all-day trip to the summit of Kleť Mountain. At an altitude of 1,084 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the Blanský Forest.

After a hike you will be rewarded with a beautiful view from a lookout tower – in good weather you can see all the way to the peaks of the Alps. Replenish your strength at the Horské chaty Kleť Restaurant with its famous garlic soup or another of the local specialities, in winter only on weekends. Enjoy the return trip downhill on scooters.

Route

Český Krumlov → Kleť 4,5 km

You can take a walk from Krumlov via the train station from Vyšný. From there, you will enjoy a 4.5 km long hike from Vyšný to the top of Kleť with an elevation difference of 443 m. Prepare for an approximately 2-hour walk on a paved forest path that is very well marked. As a starting point we recommend the Nový Dvůr parking lot (on the map "Start"), where you can park for free. From here, follow the blue hiking trail and after half an hour you will arrive at the Blue Painting (map point 2), where you can relax in the covered seating area. You will follow the blue trail toward the destination, then, 1.3 km before the summit you will turn left (map point 3) and take the red trail, that leads directly to the mountain hut on the top of Kleť.

And how will you get down? You can walk back, rent a kickbike and if you are hiking in the winter, you can even use the sledge!

If walking is not your cup of tea, you can use the chair lift from Krasetín that will take you to the top of the hill. Take the I/39 in the direction of České Budějovice and turn left onto III/1439 in Přísečná. Follow this road to Holubov (2) and continue to the car park in Krasetín (3). The lift station is right next to the carpark.

  • map
  • walks/hikes
  • medium
  • 8 km (one direction)
  • 419 m
  • asphalt, field/forest path
  • half-day trip
  • nature
  • sights
  • sport
  • suitable for children
  • winter
  • refreshments en route

Points of interest

Josef’s lookout tower – this 18-metre tall stone tower has stood on the summit of Kleť since 1825, when Prince Josef Schwarzenberg had the tower built. Open to the public since the second half of the 19th century, it is the oldest stone lookout tower in Bohemia.

Terezie’s Chalet – this mountain chalet dating from 1925 is situated next to the lookout tower, providing accommodation and refreshments opening times 

Kleť Observatory – the highest situated astronomical observatory in the Czech Republic, built between 1957 and 1958, is a world leader in the study of minor planets

Krasetín-Kleť chairlift – the chairlift transports 220 passengers per hour. In service since 1961, it is 1,792 metres long with an elevation difference of 383 m.

175-metre tall television transmitter for South Bohemia dating from 1978