Čerchov Mountain

Address: Čerchov hill area, near Domažlice, Plzeň Region, Czech Republic

Admission: Free (natural site).

Čerchov is a prominent hill in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic, located close to the border with Germany. Its summit is the highest point of the Upper Palatinate Forest in Czech territory.

The area is used by hikers and visitors for short mountain walks and panoramic views from the summit area. There are paths leading to the top from several nearby villages.

In the 20th century the summit area was used for radio and military communications, reflecting its strategic border location; those installations shaped access and development in the area. The hill today is primarily a recreational and natural landmark.

Čerchov sits in western Bohemia near the Czech-German frontier, within the rolling, forested hills of the borderlands southwest of Plzeň.

• Elevation: The summit reaches 1,042 metres above sea level, making it the highest point of the Upper Palatinate Forest in the Czech Republic.
• Summit features: The peak has long been used for radio and communications installations and offers panoramic views to the surrounding borderlands.

Čerchov (Český les) is commonly reached from the market town of Domažlice, which has regular ČD (Czech Railways) connections from Plzeň; from Domažlice take a local taxi or regional bus to the trailheads around Nemanice/Pec and follow the marked hiking trails to the summit. By car the mountain is approached via local roads from Domažlice; if you are coming from Plzeň expect roughly an hour’s drive (regional route via Domažlice), with final stretches on smaller country roads and parking at trailheads.

• Aim for early morning or late afternoon on clear days for the best long-distance views across the border into Germany and to avoid the small midday crowds that climb the summit.
• Use the marked Czech trails from Klenčí pod Čerchovem or from the Domažlice side rather than attempting forest tracks by car; the official walking routes are better signposted and keep you on public paths.
• Many visitors stop at the trig point; continue a short distance around the summit ridge to find quieter vantage spots and panoramic breaks in the treeline that most people miss.