Saxon Switzerland National Park — Attraction in Bad Schandau

Here's an overview of some of the most notable trails:

Malerweg (Painter’s Way) • Length: 112 km • Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging This is perhaps the most famous trail in the park, tracing the paths that inspired 19th-century Romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich. The trail is typically divided into eight stages, each offering a mix of dramatic rock formations, river views, and historic sites. Key landmarks include the Bastei Bridge, the Schrammsteine Ridge, and the Königstein Fortress.

Bastei Trail • Length: 3 km • Difficulty: Easy This short but iconic trail takes you to the Bastei Bridge, one of the most photographed spots in the park. The trail offers panoramic views over the Elbe River and the surrounding sandstone formations. Perfect for a quick visit or for those looking for a less strenuous hike.

Schrammsteine Ridge Trail • Length: 8 km • Difficulty: Challenging This is a challenging hike that rewards adventurers with some of the best views in the park. The trail involves steep ascents, ladders, and narrow passages, making it suitable for experienced hikers. The ridge provides breathtaking vistas of the surrounding rock formations and forests.

Kuhstall and Affensteine Loop • Length: 10 km • Difficulty: Moderate This loop trail takes you to the Kuhstall, a large natural rock arch that has served as a shelter and lookout for centuries. The trail continues to the Affensteine (Monkey Stones), a series of rugged rock towers offering excellent climbing and hiking opportunities. A great way to experience the park's geological diversity in a single hike.

Pfaffenstein Trail • Length: 6 km • Difficulty: Moderate Pfaffenstein is one of the most distinctive table mountains in the region, offering a relatively easy hike to its summit. The trail includes a visit to the "Barbarine," a prominent rock needle that is one of the symbols of Saxon Switzerland. The hike provides stunning views of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the surrounding countryside.

Kirnitzschtal Tramway Hike • Length: Varies (multiple short trails) • Difficulty: Easy to Moderate This trail follows the route of the historic Kirnitzschtal tramway, which runs through the scenic Kirnitzsch Valley. You can hike along the valley and take the tram to various points of interest, including waterfalls, rock formations, and forested areas. It's a family-friendly option, allowing for easy access to some of the park's highlights.

Grosser Winterberg Trail • Length: 14 km (round trip) • Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging This trail takes you to the summit of Grosser Winterberg, the highest point in Saxon Switzerland. The hike offers a mix of forest paths and rocky ascents, with panoramic views at the summit. From the top, you can see as far as the Bohemian Switzerland region in the...

Saxon Switzerland National Park is located in the eastern part of Germany near the Czech Republic border in the Free State of Saxony. The park covers an area of 36.1 square miles (93.5 sq km).

The Elebe Sandstone Mountains transcend the border and are protected Saxon Switzerland National Park on the Germany side and Bohemian Switzerland National Park on the Czech Republic side. The larger collective Saxon Switzerland expands across 274 square miles (710 sq km).

Although almost entirely covered in forest, the national park is comprised of fissured and rocky canyon landscapes. The tallest point reaches a height of only 1,814 feet ( 556 m), however, the neighboring Elbe river is at a lower elevation ranging from 360 to 390 feet (110 to 120 m).

The national park features an array of habitats that include steep ravines, flowered and grassy meadows, moors, plateau mountaintops, and an abundance of forests.

One thing that is unique to the national park as compared to much of Europe is areas of the forest that is void of human interaction. The city in stone is part of the highlights of the park. These sandstone cliffs, mesas, gorges, and spires create a “city” of stone.

There are currently 250 miles (400 km) of hiking paths and another 31 miles (49.9 km of paths for bikes. The climbing options are almost endless.

Wildlife is limited; however, it is present. Otter, lynx, deer, are some of the more popular species. The peregrine falcon and horned owls make for great animal...

We stayed in the area for 3 days, one of which was spent walking around the Bad Schandau national park. It’s a fun area to spend the day walking and enjoying some of the astounding views. Do not expect to be alone here though. It’s a popular area. I suggest downloading the ‘Mapy.cz’ -app. It a very accurate walking app the shows every small and big route with additional info. It proved very useful. If you are an experienced walker, stay of the main routes. Just link smaller paths to one another to create your own tour. You’ll be amazed at how close all the viewing spots are to one another. Be cautious for some paths though, there are pathways that you can only access one by one. Try to get to these early. Otherwise you might get stuck behind groups of slow climbers or children. Other pathways are supposed to be climbed with climbing gear. They are not difficult but I guess it’s recommended to wear them for your own safety. And that of the other...