Cycling above Špindlerův Mlýn
Setting off on a cycle trip around Špindlerův Mlýn doesn’t always have to involve a gruelling climb. On this route, you can avoid it thanks to the cable car to Medvědín, which takes you straight up to an altitude of 1,235 metres above sea level.
You can set off directly from the OREA Resort Horal, from where it is approximately 2.5 km to the lower station of the Medvědín cable car. If you’re arriving by car, the public car park right next to the P3 Medvědín cable car is a good starting point, or alternatively the slightly further-away P2 Hromovka car park. Before you set off on your bike, don’t forget to pack a snack at breakfast. At OREA, you can put together your own snack to suit your taste and pack it into the bags provided.
Along the way, you’ll enjoy views, forest sections, mountain meadows and spots where it’s well worth stopping for a while. Thanks to the cable car, the trip gets off to a more pleasant start, but it still retains the character of a mountain cycle route. It’s suitable for those who feel confident on a bike, even on longer descents.
Route details:
Route length: 20.2 km starting from P3 Medvědín
Bike type: Trekking, mountain, gravel, e-bike
Difficulty: moderate, for more experienced cyclists comfortable with off-road terrain and descents
Elevation gain: +143 m / -637 m
Surface: mainly sandy-clay tracks and forest tarmac roads with no motor traffic
In the Krkonoše National Park, cyclists may only ride on roads, local tracks and routes designated by the park’s management. Before setting off, please check the current route and any road closures.
Where does the route go?
From the top station of the cable car at Medvědín, head towards Horní Mísečky. The first section runs mainly along wide, paved paths through open mountain countryside and, in places, through woodland.
Beyond Horní Mísečky, the route continues along Medvědí cesta towards Harrachova skála. From there, you’ll join Bucharova cesta and begin a gradual descent towards Rovinka. The path is narrower in places and the terrain is slightly more rugged than in the first part of the route.
From Rovinka, you’ll cycle via Třídomí towards Labská and on via Bedřichov back to Špindlerův Mlýn. You can take a short detour to the Labská Dam. The final section is mainly downhill and runs along ordinary roads in places.
Hotels nearby
Medvědín towers 1,235 metres above sea level above Špindlerův Mlýn and is one of the best vantage points in the Krkonoše Mountains. On a clear day, you can see as far as the Polish side of the mountains. During the summer season, the cable car from the lower station in the centre of Špindlerův Mlýn also carries bicycles.
Horní Mísečky is one of the highest-altitude mountain settlements in the Krkonoše Mountains. It lies on an open plateau offering impressive views. It also serves as a junction for routes leading further into the mountains.
Harrachova skála is a viewpoint near Horní Mísečky, named after the noble Harrach family, who once owned extensive estates in the western Krkonoše Mountains. The viewpoint offers a view of the mountainous landscape towards Harrachov.
Rovinka is a mountain pass and a hiking junction in the western Krkonoše Mountains, situated at an altitude of approximately 850 metres above sea level. This is where Buchar’s Trail from Horní Mísečky to Žalý, the route from Benecko to Špindlerův Mlýn and the path from Rokytnice nad Jizerou to Přední Labská all meet. There is a mountain hut at the junction.
The Elbe Dam was built at the beginning of the 20th century as one of the first dams on the upper reaches of the Elbe. The concrete dam holds back the water at an altitude of approximately 780 m and is a striking feature of the valley.
Špindlerův Mlýn lies in the heart of the Krkonoše Mountains, at the confluence of the Bílá Labe and Labe rivers. It is the largest mountain resort in the Czech Republic, with direct access to the Krkonoše ridge. The name derives from a historic mill that once stood here.
