A hike to the summit of Černá hora
A more demanding hike for those who want to reach the mountain under their own steam.
Key information
Distance: approx. 4 km
Duration: approx. 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
All-terrain pushchair: No
Route description
From Aurum Resort, head into the centre of Černý Důl, where you join the yellow-marked trail leading up the slopes of Černá hora.
The first part is a steady climb through the forest, gradually taking you from the valley up to the ridge. The path follows mostly well-surfaced forest tracks and offers plenty of peace and quiet, away from the busiest tourist routes.
As you climb, the first views begin to open out across the valley and the surrounding ridges. Higher up, the landscape gradually changes, with the forest giving way to the more open mountain scenery typical of the Černá hora region.
At the end of the climb, you reach the ridge, where you can continue towards the summit of Černá hora or join other ridge routes nearby.
Zlaťák’s tip
At the top of Černá hora, children can enjoy an adventure park - a well-earned reward after the climb.
The hike up Černá hora is one of the classic routes in the area, offering a gradual change of scenery from the valley floor to the mountain ridge.
Černá hora rises to 1,299 metres above sea level and is a dominant landmark of the eastern Krkonoše Mountains, standing out more clearly from the surrounding landscape than many of the range’s higher peaks. At its summit stands the unmistakable 78-metre television transmitter, which on a clear day you can see from Aurum Resort long before you set off.
On the summit of Černá hora, you pass the site where Sokolská Bouda once stood. When it opened in 1929, it was the largest log building in the country: a four-storey self-supporting timber structure with 70 rooms and one of the landmarks of Krkonoše tourism. During the Second World War, it was confiscated by the Nazis. Shortly before the end of the war, an SS captain set up a secret sabotage training school here, with ten instructors and five radio stations, where saboteurs were trained for operations against the Red Army. After decades of neglect, the once famous hotel fell into ruin and was demolished in October 2019. A new Sokolská Bouda with a restaurant and brewery is planned for the site. Today, the empty space in the middle of Volská Louka tells the story of one of the most varied chapters in Krkonoše history.