Modrava to Březník Trail

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Modrava to Březník Trail: Easy Šumava Forest Walk

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 1 July 2026

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Ranked #889 of 974

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HikeList Score

Modrava to Březník Trail scored 71/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 55
Balanced challenge 60
Scenery & wildness 98
Varied terrain 64
Accommodation 66
Food & support 68
Path quality 71
Season flexibility 89

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

The Modrava to Březník Trail is an easy 15 km out-and-back day walk in Šumava National Park, in Czechia. It follows the blue-marked asphalt Nová Březnická cesta up the gentle Modravský potok valley from Modrava to the Březník forester’s lodge near the Bavarian border. With about 170 m of ascent, no steep sections and a mostly paved surface, it suits families, beginners, seniors and summer prams, while still reaching deep forest and bog landscapes in the Bohemian Forest.

Route Overview

Start in Modrava, where the Modravský, Roklanský and Filipohuťský streams meet to form the Vydra. The village has a paid car park and bus access, though the car park is often cash-only. From Modrava, follow the blue-marked asphalt forest road south up the Modravský potok valley to Březník forester’s lodge in the Luzenský valley, then return the same way. The standard walk is an out-and-back of about 15 km; a similar-length loop variant returns via the Cikánská slať peat-bog boardwalk. For rougher Czech river scenery, compare the Bílá Opava Valley Path, or for a longer mountain day see the Elbe River Source Trail.

Březník, forestry and Karel Klostermann

Březník began as a Schwarzenberg hunting and forestry outpost on the remote Prášily estate. A wooden lodge was built in 1804, then replaced by the surviving stone building in 1856. A small forest community once lived here, and the lodge was permanently inhabited until 1951 before later decline. Šumava National Park restored and reopened it around 2002 as an information centre and Klostermann memorial. The place is closely linked with Karel Klostermann’s novel Ze světa lesních samot.

Notable highlights

Březník forester’s lodge (Pürstling): The turnaround point is a former Schwarzenberg hunting lodge in the Luzenský valley. It now houses a Šumava National Park information centre, a Karel Klostermann exhibition and a seasonal restaurant.
Klostermann’s forest-solitude setting: Březník is the real-life setting of Karel Klostermann’s Ze světa lesních samot (From the World of Forest Solitudes), making it one of the literary landmarks of the Šumava.
Modravský potok valley: The route follows this clear mountain stream through quiet forest from Modrava, a village at the confluence of three streams that form the Vydra.
Cikánská slať peat bog: The optional loop return crosses a raised mountain bog of over 100 hectares by boardwalk, showing the peatland habitat typical of Šumava’s moorland.
Luzenský valley and Luzný views: Near Březník the valley opens towards Luzný, or Lusen, a 1,373 m border peak shared by Šumava National Park and Germany’s Bavarian Forest National Park.
Rainiest place in Czechia: Březník is reputed to be the wettest spot in the Czech Republic, with average annual precipitation around 1,552 mm, so carry waterproofs even on this easy route.

Challenges to expect

The walking is easy: mostly asphalt, gentle gradients and straightforward waymarking. The main challenges are weather and logistics. Březník is notably wet, so pack rain gear, and the lodge refreshments operate only in the warmer months, with no on-route refreshment in winter. Stay on marked paths inside Šumava National Park. In winter the route is used as a groomed cross-country ski trail.

889

Ranked #889 of 974

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