Kladská Nature Trail

Kladská Nature Trail is one of the most pleasant short routes in the Slavkov Forest. It starts in the settlement of Kladská north of Mariánské Lázně, by the Slavkov Forest House of Nature and the former hunting lodge. Wooden boardwalks lead along the edge of Kladské rašeliny National Nature Reserve, around Kladský Pond and through peatland forest typical of this part of the Slavkov Forest.

The trail opened to visitors in 1977 and remains a clear, welcoming introduction to a landscape of peat bogs, wetlands, mineral springs and upland forests. The loop is about 2 to 2.3 kilometres long, has 14 information panels and takes roughly one hour. The route is easy and mostly level; thanks to the boardwalk it is also suitable for strollers and visitors with limited mobility.

What You Will See

The peatland landscape is the main experience. The boardwalk keeps your feet dry while protecting places that would otherwise be damaged by trampling. Along the route, views of the dark surface of Kladský Pond alternate with peatland forest, the edge of open raised bog and small details that are easy to miss on an ordinary forest track. Look out for the golden form of Norway spruce and, in the right season, rare wetland species such as the moorland clouded yellow butterfly.

Another important motif is Dlouhá stoka, a 16th-century water channel that supplied water to mining works and was also used for floating timber. This combination of nature reserve, technical monument and hunting settlement makes Kladská more than a simple walk around a pond: it is a compact introduction to the wider story of the Slavkov Forest landscape.

Practical Information

The nature trail is freely accessible, but the boardwalk may close in winter for safety reasons. Inside the reserve, stay on the wooden path, do not step off the marked route and keep dogs on a lead. The trail is for pedestrians only. A visit combines well with the Slavkov Forest House of Nature, whose exhibition presents the main natural themes of the protected landscape area: peat bogs, mineral springs, serpentinite sites, wet meadows and extensive forests.

Contacts and Directions

• Website: Dům přírody Slavkovského lesa
• Visitor rules: dumprirody.cz
• Area manager: Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area
• Starting point: Kladská, 353 01 Mariánské Lázně
• GPS: 50.025033, 12.669371
• Slavkov Forest House of Nature phone: +420 951 421 242
• E-mail: aopkcr@nature.cz