3 bike rides from Resort Český les: routes for gravel, mountain biking and families with children

Český les (the Bohemian Forest) is one of the most rewarding cycling regions in the Czech Republic, and it still manages to stay off the crowds' radar. We have picked three routes starting from Resort Český les that gravel riders, mountain bikers and families with children will all enjoy.

Cycling in Český les: why it feels different here

There are cycling regions people visit mainly for the performance. And then there are places where the journey itself matters more. Český les belongs firmly to the second group.

The landscape here is not as dramatic as the Alps, nor as perfectly groomed as some of the famous bike destinations. It is more authentic. The trails change naturally: one moment you are riding through forest, the next along an old border road, then a meadow opens up or a view unfolds across countryside where you often meet nobody at all. That is exactly what makes Český les a perfect place for bike rides that are not only about sport, but about the experience.

1. Gravel loop: Železná – Pleš – the Ebene lookout tower

Ideal for: gravel bike, sportier riders, couples

Distance: approx. 38 km

Difficulty: moderate

If there is one route that captures the atmosphere of Český les perfectly, it is this loop towards Pleš and the Ebene lookout tower.

It begins unassumingly, on a quiet forest track leading out of Železná. Bit by bit the landscape opens up and you start to understand why gravel suits this region so well. The surface keeps changing: smooth asphalt for a while, then gravel, then an old road that still remembers the days of the border zone.

The most powerful moment of the whole route is the area of the former village of Pleš. Today all that is left are traces of the original settlement, fruit trees and a peculiar silence that is so typical of Český les.

If you carry on to the Ebene lookout tower, one of the finest views far and wide is waiting for you. And above all the feeling that you have genuinely got somewhere. This is a route for discovering.

2. An MTB day: a forest loop along the old border roads

Ideal for: mountain bike, active riders

Distance: 45–60 km depending on the variant

Difficulty: moderate to demanding

Český les is an ideal MTB region mainly because it offers long, flowing forest routes without the crowds. Do not expect a bike park or technical descents full of jumps. The strength of cycling here lies elsewhere: in the space, the rhythm and the landscape.

One of the best variants runs along the former border roads towards abandoned settlements and forest sections along the old Iron Curtain. This is where you understand why the mountain bike is still the most practical choice for longer rides in Český les.

The terrain never stops changing:

• hard-packed track,
• forest gravel,
• the occasional rocky section,
• longer climbs,
• fast flat stretches.

The advantage is that even a longer route feels mentally easier than in overcrowded bike areas. Instead of constantly concentrating on traffic or other cyclists, you can really sink into the landscape.

Back at the resort, one combination then makes perfect sense:

sauna → good food → recovery

That is exactly what a modern active weekend looks like today.

3. Family route: Bělá nad Radbuzou and the surrounding area

Ideal for: families with children, leisure riders, e-bikes

Distance: 15–25 km

Difficulty: easy

Not every bike ride has to be about performance. If you are riding with children or simply want an easy-going day without ambitions, the ideal option is one of the quieter routes around Bělá nad Radbuzou.

The trails here have several big advantages:

• they are not overrun,
• the profile is gentler,
• and the surrounding countryside offers plenty of reasons to stop “just because”.

There is also a cycle path in the area with rest spots and sport elements for children, so the trip never feels monotonous. And with family cycling that is essential. Children are rarely worn out by the pedalling itself. What wears them out is boredom. That is exactly why Český les works so well for families: something is always changing. Forest, meadow, stream, a little bridge, a view, the next bend.

The bike as a different way of getting to know the landscape

Cycling in Český les is not about records. It is about a pace that lets you truly take the landscape in.

On a bike you cover far more ground than on foot, yet you are still slow enough to notice the details. That is why people come back. Not for one particular route, but for the feeling this landscape creates while you ride.

So which route will you choose?