Prachov Rocks: the complete guide 2026

Author Veronika Vrátná August 31, 2026 Updated: September 9, 2026
Prachov Rocks: the complete guide 2026

“What’s there to be afraid of – off to Prachov Rocks!” I’ve had this Czech children’s song stuck in my head since childhood, and every time someone mentions Bohemian Paradise, it starts up all by itself. This August I found out again that the words don’t lie. There really is nothing to be afraid of – but the views really are a long way up.

We arrived in the afternoon, it was thirty degrees, and the Central car park was almost full – only a few spaces left. We paid a hundred crowns, in cash, and like proper tourists, we stopped for langoše (deep-fried flatbread) before we’d even set foot in the rocks. Then came the moment at the ticket office where you choose your trail: yellow 1.5 km, red 2.5 km, green 3.5 km. Daniel chose the green one. Thank you, Daniel. In thirty-degree heat, that was exactly the choice that has you dragging yourself through the rock town like a snail while telling everyone around you that you’re simply soaking up the views.

And you know what? We did soak them up. Prachov Rocks aren’t a pile of stones you can walk round in twenty minutes. It’s a whole town of sandstone towers, where you can climb up and down staircases someone carved at a time when nobody worried about safety standards, and where every other viewpoint opens onto half of Bohemian Paradise. In this article you’ll find everything we checked and tried for ourselves: how much admission costs in 2026, how the three trails differ, where to park, how demanding those legendary steps actually are, where to eat (and why you should bring cash) and what else is worth adding in the area if you want to spend a whole weekend here.

Panorama of the Prachov Rocks rock town with sandstone towers and a small Czech flag

Quick summary for those in a hurry

  • Adult admission: 200 CZK (about €8) in the main season (1 June–30 September), 150 CZK (about €6) for the rest of the year
  • Family admission (2 adults + 2 children): 550 CZK (about €23) in season, 400 CZK (about €17) outside it
  • Parking: 100 CZK (about €4) per car for the whole day, regardless of season
  • Payment: both admission and parking can be paid by card, according to the operator – though we paid for parking in cash, and the food stall required cash too
  • Three trails: yellow 1.5 km / 45 min, red 2.5 km / 1.5 h, green 3.5 km / 2 h of unhurried walking (allow 3 h instead)
  • Pushchair route: yes, marked in blue, but it starts from the upper ticket office in the village of Prachov, not from the Central car park
  • Opening hours: June–September 8:00–18:00, the rest of the year 9:00–17:00, you must leave the trails by 20:00
  • Dogs: allowed on a lead, 50 CZK (about €2) in season / 30 CZK (about €1) outside it
  • Food at the entrance: our langoše cost 100–200 CZK (about €4–8), cash only at Pelíšek’s kiosk
  • Ideal length of visit: half a day for the green trail, a full day if you add lunch and Trosky Castle
  • Where to stay: two options are just a few minutes from the entrance to the rocks, we picked four to suit different budgets

Both the ticket and the parking are valid all day, so you don’t have to get through the rock town in one go.

Why Prachov Rocks, and not “just any rocks”

Prachov Rocks lie in the Hradec Králové Region, roughly 7 km west of Jičín, and they’re part of the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area. Czechia has several rock towns and each has its own character. The Adršpach Rocks are, in our view, more monumental and certainly better known; Hruboskalsko, on the other side of Bohemian Paradise, is airier and – unlike Prachov – free to walk into. Prachov Rocks have something the others can’t so easily take away from them: a combination of density and views.

The rock towers here stand packed so close together that the gorges running between them are barely wide enough for one person – and then you climb up the steps and suddenly you’re looking out over the treetops across the whole of Bohemian Paradise. From the Míru viewpoint on a clear day you can see Trosky, Ještěd and Bezděz Castle (source: prachovskeskaly.cz). That’s the contrast you take home from Prachov: one minute you’re squeezing through a rock crevice, and a minute later you’re standing above the landscape.

And then there’s a second thing I only came to appreciate this year. The site is genuinely huge. The car park was almost full, sure, but once you’re in among the rocks, people spread out nicely. Everyone has their own pace; some stop at every sign, others rush through. The only queues were at the viewpoints, where people took turns to get their photo – but nothing that spoiled the experience.

Panorama of rock towers in Prachov Rocks

Admission to Prachov Rocks in 2026

Prachov Rocks are privately owned – they’re run by the company J. M. Schlik, s.r.o., that is, the descendants of the Schlik family, who owned the rocks back at the start of the 20th century. That’s why there’s an admission fee here, unlike most freely accessible rock areas.

The price list is split by season and is posted right at the ticket office. The table below is transcribed from our own photo of it, not from the website:

Admission price list for Prachov Rocks by main and off-peak season
CategoryMain season (1 June–30 September)Off-season (1 October–31 May)
Standard (adults)200 CZK (about €8)150 CZK (about €6)
Reduced (children 3–15, students up to 26, seniors 65+, TP, ZTP or ZTP/P disability card holders)150 CZK (about €6)100 CZK (about €4)
Family (2 adults + 2 children)550 CZK (about €23)400 CZK (about €17)
Children 0–2 yearsfreefree
Dog50 CZK (about €2)30 CZK (about €1)

Both admission and parking can be paid by card, according to the operator, and Multisport is also accepted, though Sodexo Flexi Pass isn’t. We paid for admission by card ourselves, and it went through without any problems. We photographed the price list at the ticket office; the prices match the website, and the only difference is that the reduced-admission category is broken down in more detail on the sign. For the car park, though, we paid the hundred crowns in cash, so it’s worth keeping some change on you. The nearest cash machines are all the way over in Jičín (Tesco, Kaufland).

Our tip: hold on to your ticket. It’s valid all day, so if you run out of energy halfway round the trail, you can head back to the Turistická chata (the trailhead chalet) for lunch and then carry on.

Three trails: which one to choose

At the ticket office you choose one of three marked trails. They all start at the Turistická chata and all loop back to it again – the only difference is how much you get to see.

TrailLengthOfficial timeWho it’s for
Yellow (the short trail)1.5 km45 minutes of unhurried walkingA quick taste, little time, younger children
Red2.5 km1.5 hoursThe happy medium
Green (the long trail)3.5 km2 hoursFor those who want to see everything
BluePushchair route, from the upper ticket office

The yellow trail takes you through Myší díra (the Mouse Hole), the Českého ráje viewpoint, the U buku junction, the Míru viewpoint and Císařská chodba (the Emperor’s Corridor). You’ll only manage it in three quarters of an hour if you don’t stop – and here, that’s not really possible.

The red trail adds the Křížkovského viewpoint, the Hlaholská viewpoint and the descent to the Mnich rock. If we went again in the afternoon, or in heat like that, this is probably the one we’d take – we did the green one, and we felt it.

The green trail – the one we did – also takes in the Pechova viewpoint, Fortna, Šikmá věž (the Leaning Tower), Masarykova cesta, the Rumcajsova and Hakenova viewpoints, and finally Všetečkova and Schlikova. It’s the most complete tour of the rocks you can get here.

And now for the important part: officially the green trail is listed at two hours of unhurried walking. It took us considerably longer. The official version is that we were soaking up the views. The unofficial version is that it was thirty degrees and we were dragging ourselves along like snails. Either way – allow three hours rather than two, especially if you’re going in summer, with children, or you like taking photos.

Prachov Rocks

Three trails and what’s on each

All three start and end at the Turistická chata by the Central car park. Each longer trail includes the whole of the shorter one and adds more viewpoints on top.

Yellow – the short trail1.5 km · 45 minutes of unhurried walkingLittle time, younger children, a quick taste
Red2.5 km · 1.5 hoursThe happy medium – and the only one with the Mnich rock
Green – the long trail3.5 km · 2 hours officiallyIt took us over three hours. Plan for that.
On all three trailsYou’ll see this even in three quarters of an hour
Myší díra Českého ráje viewpoint U buku junction Míru viewpointOn a clear day: Trosky, Ještěd and Bezděz Císařská chodbaSeveral dozen steps in one flight
The red trail adds+1 km and about 45 extra minutes
Křížkovského viewpoint Hlaholská viewpoint Descent to the Mnich rockRed trail only – not on the green any more
Adds the green trailThe most complete tour of the rocks you can get here
Pechova viewpointA more demanding climb up many stone steps Fortna Šikmá věž Masarykova cesta Rumcajsova viewpoint Hakenova viewpoint Schlikova viewpoint200 m detour from Zadní Točenice Všetečkova viewpoint300 m detour · a memorial plaque from 1922
Blue – the pushchair trailStarts in a different place from all the others

It doesn’t run from the Central car park, but from the upper ticket office in the village of Prachov. After about 200 metres it turns off onto a forest track, passes Čertova kuchyně (the Devil’s Kitchen) and brings you to the U buku junction. An all-terrain pushchair is recommended, and you go back the same way. From here you can reach the viewpoints on foot, without the pushchair – you won’t get through the gorges or up the stairs with it.

Adult admission200 CZK (about €8)
Outside the season150 CZK (about €6)
Parking / day100 CZK (about €4)
The ticket is validall day
Travel Gingers

We put the diagram above together ourselves, from what’s marked on the ground and what the operator says. For a classic map of the area, see the hiking map on Mapy.com.

Veronika looking at a signpost with hiking trails in the Prachov Rocks

The signposts out on the trails also give the distances between individual points, handy if you want to shorten the trail or add a detour. From Zadní Točenice, for example, it’s 200 metres to Schlikova viewpoint and 300 metres to Všetečkova – both detours off the green trail, and both worth the extra few minutes.

The pushchair trail – watch where it starts

This was a lovely surprise – though I only found it out afterwards, when I looked it up. We don’t have kids ourselves and never made it to the upper ticket office, but they’ve clearly thought about families here: the blue-marked trail is passable with a pushchair and brings you to the U buku junction. From there, Pechova viewpoint, Českého ráje viewpoint, Míru viewpoint, and the Hlaholská and Křížkovského viewpoints are all reachable on foot – but you’ll have to walk back to the pushchair, as you won’t get it up there.

BUT – and this is a detail that can really trip you up – the pushchair trail doesn’t start at the Central car park, where we parked. It runs from the upper ticket office in the village of Prachov, and after about 200 metres it turns off onto a forest track and passes Čertova kuchyně. An all-terrain pushchair is recommended, and you go back the same way. You won’t get a pushchair into the inner gorges or up the stairs, which is only logical.

The pushchair trail is the one part of the rocks where choosing the wrong car park can cost you the whole trip.

Stairs and difficulty: what to expect

I have to be honest here, because this is something most articles brush off in one sentence. The stairs in the Prachov Rocks are no picnic.

They’re natural, cut into the sandstone, of varying height and width. We went in dry weather, so we can’t tell you how slippery it gets – but wet sandstone is notoriously slick, so bear that in mind. Some sections are considerably more demanding than others – Pechova viewpoint is described as “a more demanding climb up many stone steps”, and Císařská chodba has several dozen steps in a row. There’s a handrail in some places, and none in others.

Stone steps climbing up to massive rock towers in the Prachov Rocks

But – and this is the important part – it’s nothing you can’t manage. I managed it as a child in the nineties, and I managed it as an adult this August in thirty-degree heat. It’s not about mountaineering, it’s about going at your own pace, having proper shoes, and not rushing.

The official website doesn’t state the exact number of steps or the elevation gain, so I won’t give you a figure here. It’s more useful to know this:

  • Sturdy shoes are a must. Save the sandals and smooth-soled trainers for the car park.
  • Expect it to be slippery after rain. Both the sandstone and tree roots are treacherous.
  • Narrow gorges – with a big backpack on, you’ll be squeezing through in places.
  • Bikes are banned on the trails, as is leaving the marked paths (this is Zone I of the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area).
  • Wheelchair users: an ordinary manual wheelchair simply won’t work here; an electric one can partly manage the stretch from the lower ticket office to Zadní Točenice, or the blue pushchair trail.
A narrow rock gorge with a staircase between tall towers in the Prachov Rocks

Climbing in the Prachov Rocks: the rules if you’re coming to climb

Let’s get this out of the way first: we don’t climb, and I’m not writing this section from experience. But Prachov is one of the best-known sandstone climbing areas in Czechia, and the rules here are stricter than most hikers expect, so it’s worth knowing them – even if you’re just walking the trail and will only see climbers overhead.

  • The climbing season runs from 1 April to 31 October. Outside it, climbing is not allowed at all.
  • You can’t climb without a membership card. The operator requires a valid membership card from a climbing federation, association or club. Members of the Czech Mountaineering Association (ČHS) get free admission to the rocks on presentation of their card, everyone else pays admission like any other visitor.
  • An absolute ban on chalk (magnesium carbonate) and other chemical agents, with a fine of up to 5,000 CZK (about €207).
  • Climbing on damp or wet rock is not allowed. Sandstone gets soft after rain and the holds break off.
  • Part of the area is closed under a decision by the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area Administration dated 14 January 2022. The current list of banned zones is posted on the operator’s website.

According to Czech Radio, the local Lezecký kroužek Prachov (Prachov Climbing Club) is the oldest and largest climbing club in Czechia and has been active here for over a hundred and ten years. Routes first climbed here by pioneering climbers in the fifties and sixties are still climbed today.

For us as hikers, that has one practical consequence: climbers move off the marked trails and have permission to do so; you don’t. Anyone who leaves the path risks a fine – this is Zone I of the Protected Landscape Area.

Viewpoints worth stopping at

The operator names eleven viewpoints in the area, and nine of them lie on the three trails – Vítkova and Skautská don’t. Honestly, after the fifth one they all start to blur together. Remember these:

Míru viewpoint – for us, the best view in the whole area. You can see the central part of the rock town from it, and on a clear day Trosky, Ještěd and Bezděz Castle. It’s on the yellow, red and green trails, so you won’t miss it even on the shortest option.

Českého ráje viewpoint – the Bohemian Paradise viewpoint, so the name says it all. It’s easily reached on the pushchair trail too.

Všetečkova viewpoint – a 300-metre detour off the green trail. It has a memorial plaque on the rock dated 28 May 1922 from the Tourist Club of Jičín, a detail that delighted me more than the obligatory photo did.

The 1922 memorial plaque at Všetečkova viewpoint in the Prachov Rocks

Schlikova viewpoint – named after the family that owns the rocks. A 200-metre detour, right next to Všetečkova.

Hlaholská viewpoint – on both the red and green trails. The descent to the Mnich rock is then on the red trail only.

The view from a viewpoint in the Prachov Rocks over the Bohemian Paradise landscape

Parking at the Prachov Rocks

Officially there are two paid car parks at the two ticket offices:

  • Lower ticket office / Central car park – by the Turistická chata, right at the main entrance to the rocks. To get here, drive through the village of Prachov and after about 700 metres turn left at the Lepař memorial. This is where we parked.
  • Upper ticket office – in the village of Prachov, recommended mainly for visitors with a pushchair. Watch out: the operator doesn’t mark out any parking area here or give a price for one (it’s only mentioned in the visitor regulations), and we can’t see any car park here on aerial photos. Expect to be parking somewhere in the village.
VehiclePrice for the whole day
Car, motorcycle100 CZK (about €4)
Bus500 CZK (about €21)
Caravan, motorhome500 CZK (about €21)

On the way from Jičín we passed several other parking areas before we reached the Central one – so if you see the first parking sign, you don’t have to stop right away. The opposite is also true: in high season, the Central car park is often full in the afternoon, and those closer car parks are your lifesaver then.

The nearly full Central car park at the Prachov Rocks, with the Turistická chata in the background

What’s changed since the nineties: the car parks have grown a lot bigger. As a child I used to walk here from the pond; nowadays people drive right up to the rocks. We’ve all got lazier – and yes, I admit, we took the easy option ourselves this year.

How to get to the Prachov Rocks

By car

FromDistanceTime
Prague93 km1 h 12 min
Hradec Králové56.5 km54 min
Liberec46.5 km46 min
Jičín7.6 km12 min

From Prague or from Mladá Boleslav, you drive along road I/16, and on the outskirts of Jičín you turn off towards Holín and Prachov. From Prague it’s a comfortable day trip, although we’d sooner stay the night and see more of the area.

By train and bus

The nearest railway stop is Jinolice on the Turnov-Jičín line. From there, a green hiking trail around the Jinolice ponds leads to the rocks; it’s about 3.5 km. That, incidentally, is exactly the route I used to walk here as a child.

By bus you can get here on line 510 from Jičín to the Holín, Prachov, Skalní město stop. In the 2026 season, from 30 April to 30 September, there’s also a tourist cycle bus running the route Jičín – Holín – Prachov Rocks – Pařezská Lhota – Mladějov – Sobotka – Podkost, on weekends and public holidays, and from 1 July to 31 August on weekdays too.

Where to stay near the Prachov Rocks

The Prachov Rocks work fine as a day trip, but Bohemian Paradise is practically made for a weekend. We’ve picked four places to stay to suit different budgets and needs – two of them are literally a few minutes from the entrance to the rocks.

Daniel a Veronika
Daniel and Veronika from Travel Gingers recommend

Our accommodation picks

Chosen from our own experience

⭐ TOP CHOICE📍 Hrubá Skála 1

EA Zamecky Hotel Hruba Skala

Former Renaissance chateau in the middle of the Hruboskalsko forests, right by the rock town. Restaurant, wellness, free on-site parking. 22.8 km from the Prachov Rocks – an ideal base for exploring the whole of Bohemian Paradise.
Our rating★★★★
Check price & availability
👨‍👩‍👧 FOR FAMILIES📍 Holín 8

Penzion Holín u Prachovských skal

Apartments about 2 km from the entrance to the rocks (according to the guesthouse), with a trampoline, a swing, an outdoor barbecue and a tennis court. Garden, free private parking. You can walk to Prachov along a footpath.
Our rating★★★★
Check price & availability
💰 BEST VALUE📍 Prachov 48

Penzion Prachov

Right in the village of Prachov, 300 m from the upper ticket office. It’s about 2 km, though, to the Central car park and the Turistická chata, where all three trails start. Shared kitchen, garden, children’s playground, free parking and a tourist information desk on site.
Our rating★★★
Check price & availability
💰 BUDGET STAY📍 Zámostí-Blata 47

Apartmány Na vyhlídce

The cheapest reasonable option, a short walk from the rocks. Self-catering apartments with self-service check-in, a gazebo with a barbecue, a garden and parking by the house. No breakfast.
Our rating★★★
Check price & availability

Our take: if you’re only coming for the rocks and want to be first out the door in the morning, go for Penzion Prachov. If you’re planning to explore the whole of Bohemian Paradise, it’s worth going for Hrubá Skála – you’ll be staying in a chateau in the middle of a second rock town.

Where to eat – and why you should bring cash

By the Central car park there’s what I privately think of as a little village: Turistická chata Prachov with a restaurant, opposite Pelíšek’s kiosk and a cake shop, an information centre selling souvenirs, and a few wooden stalls with mead and knick-knacks. Like proper tourists, we stopped by right at the start, before even entering the rocks. There was a short queue at the window, but they served us quickly.

A queue of visitors at a refreshment stall by the entrance to the Prachov Rocks

WATCH OUT: at Pelíšek’s kiosk, where we bought our food, it was cash only. We can’t vouch for the restaurant at the Turistická chata or the cake shop, since we didn’t pay there. We paid around 100–200 CZK (about €4–8) for our langoše, which is fine for a tourist spot. There are pricier dishes on the board too, so don’t judge the whole menu by that figure. But if you turn up with an empty wallet and rely on a card terminal, you’ll be hungry all the way to Jičín.

Langoše with cheese from a food stall at the Prachov Rocks, on a wooden table

We paid for admission by card. But bring cash for food at the rocks.

Our tip: stuffing yourself before the green trail isn’t the best strategy. Next time we’ll just have a coffee, walk the trail, and eat afterwards.

Wooden stalls selling souvenirs and mead by the entrance to the Prachov Rocks

When to visit the Prachov Rocks and what the opening hours are

The site is accessible year-round, but the ticket office’s opening hours vary depending on the season. The operator also notes that they may be adjusted according to current visitor numbers or the weather, so don’t count on the exact opening and closing times:

  • June, July, August and September: 8:00–18:00
  • The rest of the year: 9:00–17:00
  • You must leave the trails by 20:00 at the latest

Outside the season, admission is cheaper (150 CZK instead of 200 CZK), but the facilities don’t operate – no toilets, no refreshments. In winter, once there’s snow or ice about, we wouldn’t recommend it. Those steps are daunting enough in dry weather.

From our experience: an afternoon in August is the worst combination. A full car park, packed viewpoints and thirty degrees. If we went again, we’d set off early in the morning, right after it opens at 8:00. We also felt noticeably better in the gorges than at the viewpoints in full sun.

The best time is probably May and September to October. We were there ourselves in August, so we can’t say this from our own experience – but reviews on the operator’s website repeatedly recommend going in spring or autumn, and early morning or late afternoon. Fewer people and bearable temperatures – it makes sense. We’ve got more tips like this for travelling around Czechia in our article about where to go for a weekend for two in Czechia.

The Jinolice pond and campsite: how we used to get here on foot

This section is a personal one for me. When I was little, we didn’t drive to Prachov Rocks – we used to walk here from the Jinolice pond. We stayed at the campsite, set off in the morning and walked through the forest all the way to those majestic giants. It was a pleasant walk, just the right length, and pretty much everyone from the campsite did it. And from the rocks we’d look down over the whole of Bohemian Paradise.

The Jinolice ponds are a set of three – Oborský (the largest, with a sandy beach and swimming), Němeček (swimming by the dam) and Vražda (a protected natural monument since 1990, swimming banned). According to Czech Radio, Oborský covers 11.4 ha, Němeček 5.2 ha and Vražda 2.1 ha. The official Prachov Rocks website lists them in its FAQ as the closest place to swim.

The walking route from the campsite to the rocks is roughly 3 km and takes just over an hour (Mapy.com, hiking mode). From the Jinolice railway stop it’s 3.5 km along the green trail. So my childhood memory of the walk being “just the right distance” checks out pretty well.

Autokemp Jinolice price list for 2026

AccommodationLow seasonHigh season (1 June – 31 August)
Cabins (4 beds)1,200 CZK/night (about €50)1,700 CZK/night (about €70)
Amálka cabin (5 beds)1,400 CZK/night (about €58)2,000 CZK/night (about €83)
Barborka cabin (8 beds)2,000 CZK/night (about €83)2,500 CZK/night (about €103)
Student cabin (2 beds)700 CZK/night (about €29)800 CZK/night (about €33)

Camping costs 130 CZK (about €5) for a small one-person tent, 170 CZK (about €7) for a tent for two or more people, 250 CZK (about €10) for a motorhome, 200 CZK (about €8) for a caravan and 150 CZK (about €6) for electricity. On top of that, 130 CZK (about €5) per person over 12, 90 CZK (about €4) per child aged 3–12, 130 CZK (about €5) for a car and a 20 CZK (about €1) municipal fee for everyone aged 18 and over. So a couple with a tent and a car comes to 600 CZK (about €25) a night, not 430 CZK. In the high season the minimum stay is two nights.

A small note for accuracy: there are several similarly named campsites around Jinolice, and we couldn’t reliably work out which one is by which pond. Before booking, it’s best to check directly with the accommodation provider. If sleeping outdoors with a bit of extra comfort appeals to you, take a look at our overview of cheap glamping around Czechia.

What to see near Prachov Rocks

Bohemian Paradise is packed with things to see, and Prachov is just one of its highlights. Here are the nearest destinations, with driving distances from the Central car park:

DestinationDistanceTimeAdmission
Jičín (centre)7.6 km12 minfree
Trosky Castle12.8 km19 minAdults 180 CZK (about €7)
Humprecht Chateau (Sobotka)15.1 km18 minAdults 150 CZK (about €6)
Kost Castle17.5 km20 min190 CZK / €8 (Circuit I or II)
Valdštejn Castle20.4 km28 minAdults 150 CZK (about €6)
Hruboskalsko rock town22.8 km34 minopen access, free

Trosky Castle

Two towers on two basalt pinnacles that have always been called Baba and Panna – and which you can see from half of Bohemian Paradise, including from the Míru viewpoint in Prachov Rocks.

Trosky is managed by the National Heritage Institute, and the visit is self-guided, with no guided tours – you pay admission and walk around the castle on your own.

Admission 2026: adults 180 CZK (about €7), seniors 65+ and young people aged 18–24 140 CZK (about €6), children aged 6–17 50 CZK (about €2), children under 5 free. The website does not list a family ticket.

Opening hours 2026: the season runs from 2 April to 1 November, and it’s closed over winter. In April and October it only opens on weekends, during school holidays and on public holidays; in May, June and September it’s open daily except Mondays; in July and August it’s open daily. Specific hours: it’s open 9:00–17:30 from 1 July to 31 August, then 9:00–16:00 from 1 September to 1 November. If a public holiday falls on a closing day, the castle is open. The website doesn’t list specific hours for April to June, so it’s best to check before you travel.

Organised trips from Prague

If you don’t have a car, or simply don’t want to deal with the logistics, you can also head to Bohemian Paradise with a guide from Prague. These are the tours we checked out:

From Prague: Hiking tour of Bohemian Paradise, lunch at a castle and a brewery – hotel pickup, a 3.5 km walk through the rock labyrinth of Prachov Rocks, lunch at a medieval castle and a craft beer tasting. Designed for smaller groups 🙂

From Prague: Full-day guided walking trip through Bohemian Paradise – by train from Prague, a loop through Hruboskalsko, Valdštejn Castle and Hrubá Skála Chateau. Also suitable for families with children.

Prague: Full-day trip to Bohemian Paradise and Kost Castleprivate hotel pickup, skip-the-line entry to Kost Castle, a guide.

You’ll find more tour options for the area on the Prachov Rocks page on GetYourGuide.

Where to stay if you’re exploring the area

⭐ TOP CHOICE📍 Havlíčkova 21

Hotel U Valdické brány

Historic centre of Jičín, a few steps from the main square and the Valdice Gate. Its own restaurant, free parking at the hotel, free bikes, buffet breakfast.
Our rating★★★★
Check price & availability
💰 BEST VALUE📍 Troskovice 31

Hotel Trosky

Right below Trosky Castle. Garden, terrace, a kids’ corner and playground, wellness, free parking and breakfast. Guest ratings are lower, but the location and price make up for it.
Our rating★★★
Check price & availability

Rumcajs’s cave: a short way from the rocks, and free

Jičín is the town of Rumcajs, the storybook robber. Václav Čtvrtek set his fairy tales in this landscape and in real places, which is why one of the viewpoints on the green trail is called Rumcajsova. It never once occurred to us out on the trail, and that’s a shame: with kids, it’s a completely different trip when they know where they’re going.

Rumcajs’s cave in the Řáholec forest really does exist. It’s a sandstone cave on the edge of Prachov Rocks, freely accessible and free, and inside it’s furnished as if the family actually lived there: the bed of Cipísek, his son, is made, the toys are tidied away, a jug of flowers on the table, and even a visitors’ book. According to Czech Radio, it’s about 300 metres from the car park by Penzion Brada.

It connects to the Rumcajs trail, roughly 15 kilometres in total. It starts in Mladějov, but you can also join it from Prachov Rocks, so you can just do a short stretch of it, depending on how much energy the kids have left.

The cave lies outside the paid area. Your ticket to the rocks doesn’t cover it, and you don’t need one anyway.

We have to add one thing: we haven’t been to the cave. This section is based on research, not on our own visit, and we’re including it here because it’s the one place nearby that, looking back on this trip, we’d add to the plan. Once we get there, we’ll add our own photos and impressions.

How much does a day at Prachov Rocks cost

For two people, without an overnight stay, a day comes to 500 CZK (about €21) in the high season and 400 CZK (about €17) outside it – admission and parking, and nothing else. As soon as you add a night, you’re at 2,700 CZK (about €112), and the whole difference between the standard day and the one with money to spare is just whether you sleep in a guesthouse below the rocks or in the Hrubá Skála Chateau.

ItemOn a budgetStandardWith money to spare
Admission (2 adults)300 CZK / €12 (off-season)400 CZK (about €17)400 CZK (about €17)
Parking100 CZK (about €4)100 CZK (about €4)100 CZK (about €4)
Food and drinkyour own packed lunch, 0 CZK300 CZK / €12 (2 meals at the Turistická chata)500 CZK / €21 (lunch at a restaurant)
Accommodation (2 people/night)– (day trip)about 1,900 CZK (Penzion Prachov, €80)about 3,200 CZK (Hrubá Skála, €131)
Totalabout 400 CZK / €17about 2,700 CZK / €112about 4,200 CZK / €174

The biggest mistakes we make at Prachov Rocks

Arriving without cash. We paid for admission by card, but that wasn’t possible at Pelíšek’s kiosk. The nearest cash machine is in Jičín.

Choosing the green trail in the afternoon heat. Yes, I’m talking about myself. It’s fine in the shaded gorges, but the climbs up to the viewpoints are in full sun.

Arriving with a pushchair at the Central car park. The pushchair route starts at the upper ticket office in the village of Prachov. You won’t get anywhere with a pushchair from here.

Skimping on footwear. Natural steps, tree roots and sandstone. In sandals it will be uncomfortable, and dangerous after rain.

Relying on the official times. The two hours quoted for the green trail assume a steady pace and no stops. With photos, viewpoints and a break, count on more like three.

Final practical tips

  • Take more water than you think you need. There’s nowhere to refill on the trails.
  • Dogs are welcome, on a lead and for 50 CZK / €2 (30 CZK / €1 outside the season). You’ll get a bag at the ticket office.
  • Don’t go off the marked paths. It’s Zone I of the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area, and you risk a fine as well as damaging the sandstone.
  • Combine it with Trosky. Nineteen minutes by car and you’ll get a close-up look at the tower you spent half the day looking at from the viewpoint.

Who Prachov Rocks are for, and who they aren’t

They’re great for: active couples and families with school-age children, anyone who loves a good view, photographers, anyone who wants a day trip from Prague with a genuine experience, and people who don’t mind two to three hours of walking up and back down again.

They’re not ideal for: people with reduced mobility, manual wheelchair users, visitors with a standard pushchair starting from the Central car park (the solution is the blue route from the upper ticket office), anyone with a serious fear of heights or claustrophobia in narrow gorges, and anyone picturing a flat walk.

Conclusion: if we went again

We’d set off at 8:00 and go in May instead of August. We’d have a coffee instead of langoše, walk the green trail in the shade, come back for lunch and drive to Trosky in the afternoon. And we’d save Hruboskalsko for the second day.

Prachov Rocks are worth that 100 CZK (about €4) for parking and 200 CZK (about €8) for admission. It isn’t a place where you tick off a photo and move on. It’s a place where three hours take you from gorges so narrow you have to squeeze through sideways to viewpoints with Trosky and Ještěd on the horizon.

There’s really nothing to be afraid of. Just bring proper shoes and cash.

You’ll find more tips for travelling around Czechia in our Czechia section – and if you enjoy Czech towns with atmosphere, take a look at our complete guide to Český Krumlov.

Frequently asked questions about Prachov Rocks

How much does admission to Prachov Rocks cost in 2026?

Adults pay 200 CZK (about €8) in the high season (1 June – 30 September) and 150 CZK (about €6) outside it; the reduced admission is 150 CZK (about €6) and 100 CZK (about €4) respectively. A family ticket for two adults and two children comes to 550 CZK (about €23), or 400 CZK (about €17) outside the season. The ticket is valid all day.

Can you pay by card at Prachov Rocks?

According to the operator, you can pay for both admission and parking by card, and Multisport is accepted too (Sodexo Flexi Pass is not). We paid for admission by card ourselves. We paid for parking in cash, though, and Pelíšek’s kiosk at the entrance only took cash – so you can’t do without it. The nearest cash machines are in Jičín.

How long does it take to walk through Prachov Rocks?

According to the official website, 45 minutes for the yellow trail (1.5 km), 1.5 hours for the red (2.5 km) and 2 hours for the green (3.5 km) at a steady walking pace. Allow some extra time – the green trail took us noticeably longer.

How much does parking cost at Prachov Rocks?

100 CZK (about €4) for a car or motorcycle for the whole day, 500 CZK (about €21) for a bus or a caravan. The price is the same all year round. The operator states it for the Central car park; it doesn’t publish a price for the car park at the upper ticket office.

Can you go through Prachov Rocks with a pushchair?

Yes, but only along the blue-marked route, which starts at the upper ticket office in the village of Prachov and takes you to the U buku junction and several viewpoints. An all-terrain pushchair is recommended. You can’t get into the rocks with a pushchair from the Central car park.

Can I bring a dog to Prachov Rocks?

Yes, on a lead. The fee is 50 CZK (about €2) in the high season and 30 CZK (about €1) outside it; you’ll get a poo bag at the ticket office.

Are Prachov Rocks open all year round?

Yes. From June to September, 8:00–18:00; for the rest of the year, 9:00–17:00; you have to leave the trails by 20:00. Outside the season the toilets and refreshment stalls are closed, and a visit isn’t recommended when there’s snow or ice.

How do you get to Prachov Rocks without a car?

By train to the Jinolice stop on the Turnov-Jičín line, and then 3.5 km on foot along the green trail past the ponds. Or by bus 510 from Jičín to the Holín, Prachov, Skalní město stop. A tourist cycle bus also runs from late April to late September.

A few things we never skip on any trip

  • Accommodation: only trusted platforms with real reviews – Booking.com and Agoda. Loyalty programs often get us a better price or an upgrade.
  • A car on the spot: when we cannot do without one, we compare rentals on DiscoverCars. We mostly watch the excess and the fuel policy.
  • First-aid kit: we always pack basic medicines – abroad they are pricey or hard to find.
  • Travel insurance: we arrange it before every trip, usually through our bank.
  • Tickets & experiences: booked online in advance via GetYourGuide – all in one place and available offline, no printing needed.
  • Food & restaurants: we check reviews on TripAdvisor first and book a table when possible.