Smraďoch Nature Trail

Smraďoch Nature Trail is a short but memorable stop in the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area. It lies in Smraďoch Nature Reserve, about 6 kilometres north of Mariánské Lázně beside the road toward Prameny. Hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide escape from the ground here, giving the site its distinctive rotten-egg smell. These vents make Smraďoch one of the clearest small-scale reminders of ancient volcanic activity in the Slavkov Forest.

The interpreted route is very short and easy. The accessible section is around 200 metres long, while the wooden boardwalk itself covers only a few dozen metres with two information panels. Allow about 30 minutes. Smraďoch works well as a standalone family stop, and even better as part of a wider outing with Kladská, Farská kyselka or other places in the Slavkov Forest.

What You Will See

A forest path leads from the parking area to the nature trail. The shorter approach is about 150 metres; a longer accessible option is around 250 metres. Inside the reserve, a wooden boardwalk with two viewing platforms brings you close to the mofette field, a bubbling mofette pool, gas vents and surrounding peatland habitats.

Smraďoch is striking because it involves several senses at once. It is not only a view of unusual pools and wet forest: the smell of hydrogen sulphide immediately reveals that something unusual is happening below the surface. The surrounding peatland and waterlogged spruce forests are sensitive to trampling, so it is important to stay on the boardwalk and not enter the protected terrain.

Practical Information

Visiting Smraďoch is free and usually takes no more than half an hour. The terrain is easy and level, suitable for children. After rain, the forest approach can be damp, but the interpreted section itself follows a wooden boardwalk. A good extension is the marked footpath to nearby Farská kyselka, about 700 metres away, where mineral water shows another face of this part of the Slavkov Forest.

Contacts and Directions

• Website: AOPK ČR - Naučná stezka Smraďoch
• Area manager: Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area
• Starting point: parking area by the Mariánské Lázně - Prameny road
• GPS: 50.013420, 12.714392
• Suggested combination: short stop at Smraďoch plus the footpath to Farská kyselka