Hochficht, Mountain summit at Bohemian Forest border, Austria.
Hochficht (Czech: Smrčina) is a 1,338 m summit in the Bohemian Forest on the Austrian–Czech border, in the Klaffer am Hochficht municipality of Upper Austria. The highest point lies on the Austrian side, where a rock outcrop carries a summit cross, a ski lift station and a weather station; the border itself runs at 1,333 m. The Czech side belongs to Horní Planá and lies in the core zone of Šumava National Park.
The Hochficht is a 1,338 m summit in the Bohemian Forest on the Austrian-Czech border; the highest point lies on the Austrian side, while the border crossing sits at 1,333 m. The Hochfichtbahn chairlift opened in 1994, followed by the Schwarzenbergbahn in 2001 and the Zwieselbergbahn in 2004. The Reischlbergbahn gondola has run in two sections since 2017, and the mountain hosted the Ski-Bob World Championships in 2007 and 2012.
The summit sits directly on the border between Austria and the Czech Republic, which gives it a special place among hikers from both countries. People cross an international line simply by walking from one side of the summit to the other.
The hiking trails on Hochficht are clearly marked and suit both beginners and more experienced walkers. In winter, the ski lift offers a faster way up, which can be helpful when time is short or conditions are rough.
The summit cross stands on a rock outcrop on the Austrian side, while the border itself runs at 1,333 m, five metres below the highest point at 1,338 m. The Czech slope below the ridge lies in the core zone of Šumava National Park, so the protected area begins directly at the state line.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,175 contributors worldwide.