A paved road to the top of Lucni Hora

A paved road to the top of Lucni Hora

Czech Republic, europe

Length

13.8 km

Elevation

1,512 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure awaits in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic! I'm talking about Luční Hora, a beast of a mountain peak sitting pretty at 4,960 feet. You'll find it nestled in the eastern part of the Krkonoše mountains, right inside Krkonoše National Park near the Polish border.

At the top, you'll find a memorial to those who tragically lost their lives in these mountains – a converted stone chapel with plaques listing the names of avalanche, fall, lightning and frost victims. It's a sobering but important reminder of the power of nature.

The road up to Luční Bouda is fully paved, though it can get a little tight in places. Heads up, avalanche danger can be high! You can usually reach the peak year-round, weather permitting. Just watch out for snow.

Get ready for a climb! This road is seriously steep, with some sections hitting a maximum gradient of 20%. Starting from road 295, the ascent is almost 9 miles long, climbing over 3,000 feet! That's an average gradient of almost 7%. The road ends right at the Hotel Luční Bouda. The views? Absolutely worth the effort!

Where is it?

A paved road to the top of Lucni Hora is located in Czech Republic (europe). Coordinates: 50.3358, 15.9234

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Road Details

Country
Czech Republic
Continent
europe
Length
13.8 km
Max Elevation
1,512 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
50.3358, 15.9234

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