The Best of Czech Canada – Around Český Rudolec

Total length

17.6 km (longer variant) https://mapy.cz/s/1gciR
13.5 km (shorter variant) https://mapy.cz/s/1gceG

Duration

About 5 hours

Terrain

paved road, unpaved forest path, asphalt

Difficulty level

medium; several climbs; shorter route is family-friendly

Marking

Yes

Route description

The route starts in Český Rudolec, following the Grasel Trail (marked by a yellow circle with a white letter “G”). The starting point is the Church of St. John the Baptist on the village square. Head north toward the Rudolec pond. After its dam (450 m), turn left toward Radíkov. After about 1 km at the edge of the forest, turn right onto a forest path leading to Horní Radíkov, with a cascade of four small village ponds (2 km).

Walk through the village, passing the forest on your right (there’s a site called Kutiště with traces of historic silver mining). After about 800 m, you reach a crossroads. If you turn left, you can follow the Grasel Trail past the Filip Stones and over Copper Hill to Radíkov, and from there back to Český Rudolec. But we continue straight, along the forest and then through it to another crossroads (800 m), where we turn right toward the top of Havlova hora (680 m above sea level) with the U Jakuba lookout tower and forest park (about 400 m). From there, head back to the crossroads (400 m), turn right, walk about 700 m, turn left, after about 90 m turn left again, then after another 70 m left once more, and after about 500 m you reach the rock formation called Devil’s Butt (Ďáblova prdel).

Families with children can also také the educational trail from U Jakuba lookout tower to “Devil’s Butt,” which has 11 stops with info boards, resting spots, and play features. The trail features beautiful cascades of ponds, small forest pools, and large glacial boulders scattered throughout.

From “Devil’s Butt,” continue across the meadow to the path (about 200 m) with a green tourist trail. Here you can choose between two options:

Shorter variant (13.5 km, family-friendly): Follow the green trail left toward Terezín, after 600 m leave the green trail left (toward Nový Svět), after 500 m turn right onto a forest path, after 600 m join the red trail and follow it left 2 km to Radíkov. From Radíkov, return to Český Rudolec either by the red trail or the Grasel Trail (about 3 km).

Longer variant (17.6 km): Follow the green trail right, after about 600 m leave the green trail left. Continue mainly through the forest to Zvůle (about 1.5 km, with swimming and refreshments). In Zvůle, turn left, walk through the campsite to a crossroads (about 650 m), then follow the red trail left through Terezín (1.2 km), the Wolf’s Pit (Vlčí jáma) valley to Radíkov (3.5 km). From Radíkov, return to Český Rudolec via the red trail or Grasel Trail (about 3 km).

Interesting places on the route

Český Rudolec – First written records date back to 1343. The village arose during German colonization while searching for silver, along the Prague–Vienna postal route. Its main landmark is the local château, known as Little Hluboká — originally a water fortress, later rebuilt as a Renaissance château. After a fire in the mid-19th century, it was reconstructed by the Piccioni family in Tudor Neo-Gothic style. The château stood abandoned for years but is now under extensive renovation. In the village center, you’ll also find the Church of St. John the Baptist (1440), a stone cross (1843), and a statue of St. John of Nepomuk (1736). Don’t miss tasting the excellent local beer from the Český Rudolec Château Brewery.

Grasel Trail Český Rudolec – The Grasel Trail takes visitors into the wooded, hilly terrain west of Český Rudolec. It leads through places once haunted by the legendary bandit Johann Georg Grasel, the daring leader of a feared robber gang. Key spots on the trail include old silver mining sites at Kutiště, the Filip Stones granite rock city above the Horní Radíkov brook, and Copper Hill (Měděný vrch, 679 m), where cliffs rise up to 15 meters. The Grasel Trails run on both sides of the Austrian–Czech border, forming seven hiking loops. In Austria, they are marked with graphic signs; on the Czech side, with a yellow circle bordered by a white “G.”

Lookout Tower and Forest Park U Jakuba – Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Czech Canada from the U Jakuba lookout tower on Havlova hora (680 m). Its unique six-sided prism topped with a six-sided pyramid resembles a giant pencil. At 40.7 m, it’s the tallest wooden glued-beam lookout tower and the second-tallest of its kind in the Czech Republic. Kids will love the nearby adventure-educational forest park, a replica of an Old Slavic fort with guard towers, a natural maze with a gingerbread house, climbing walls, swings, an Indian teepee, and other attractions. Brave visitors can enter the underground tunnel with a skeleton; there’s also a sandbox for the little ones and a bike singletrack for adrenaline seekers. Two educational trails (3.8 km and 3.2 km) with interactive panels and play features guide visitors around the area. The beautiful pond cascades and massive glacial boulders, especially the famous “Devil’s Butt,” are major highlights. Entry to the forest park and educational trails is free.

Rock Formation “Devil’s Butt (Ďáblova prdel)” – One of the most curious granite boulders, so typical for Czech Canada, lies deep in the woods between Terezín, Nový Svět, and Valtínov. Once you see this giant stone, you won’t doubt its name for a second! No tourist trail leads directly to it, but you can make a short 200 m detour from the green tourist trail between Terezín and Valtínov or follow the new educational trail from the U Jakuba lookout tower.

Zvůle – The Zvůle Pond (10 ha) near the village of the same name invites closer exploration. Thanks to its surrounding nature, facilities, and especially clean water from high flow, it’s a popular swimming spot. Relax on sandy or grassy beaches, find secluded spots in the forest shade, or sunbathe on open sunny areas. Near the pond, you’ll find campsites offering pedal boat and sports equipment rentals. Both the surrounding forests and the pond itself are dotted with large granite boulders. The most massive and interesting ones are along the red tourist trail connecting Zvůle to the settlement Na Jitrách. About halfway, you’ll come across the so-called Devil’s Bread (Ďáblův chléb), a cluster of boulders, with the largest resembling a sliced loaf of bread.