Großer Rachel, Mountain summit in Bavarian Forest National Park, Bavaria, Germany

Großer Rachel is a 1,452 m summit in Bavarian Forest National Park, the highest point in the park and the second-highest in the Bavarian Forest after the Großer Arber. Its rocky top holds a wooden cross and a Bergwacht shelter, with the Kleiner Rachel 900 m to the northwest. The rounded, snow-dusted summit rises above forested flanks and a valley with pale fields and a red-roofed building.

A bark beetle infestation struck the surrounding forest in 1995, and managers chose to let nature recover without human intervention. This natural regeneration process reshaped the landscape over the following decades.

The name Rachel is not Celtic; it comes from the German word for a ravine or mountain stream. The Czech name Roklan and the German Großer Rachel both refer to the mountain above the Roklanský potok (Rachelbach). The summit holds a wooden cross and a Bergwacht hut, and the nearby Waldschmidthaus has been closed for renovation.

The shortest route to the summit starts at the Gfäll car park and takes about 1½ hours. From 15 May to 2 November, the access roads to the Gfäll and Racheldiensthütte car parks are closed to private vehicles between 8 am and 6 pm; during that period hikers reach them only by Igelbus (Regionalbus Ostbayern). Mountain bikes are not allowed on the approach paths. In winter, metre-deep snow often makes the summit reachable only on touring skis or snowshoes.

The Waldschmidthaus beneath the summit stopped allowing overnight stays in 2011 due to fire safety regulations.