Großer Arber
1,456 m
Germany
Also known as Velký Javor, გროსერ-არბერი, +1Also known as
Velký Javor · გროსერ-არბერი · Большой Явор
- Elevation
- 1,456 m
- Prominence
- 1,027 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Oct
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The usual walk up the highest summit of the Bavarian Forest: from the Großer Arbersee (935 m) on forest roads and then a rooty, rocky mountain path waymarked as the Goldsteig to the Arberschutzhaus by the gondola top station, past the Arber chapel to the summit cross and radar domes. About 8.5 km and 500–510 m up and down, 3–4 hours return.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 4.0 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +497 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,456 m
- Time Up
- 2h 10m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 31m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the paid car parks by the Großer Arbersee and the Arberseehaus on the St 2137 between Bayerisch Eisenstein and Bodenmais (bus stop 'Gr. Arbersee'). The route is waymarked with the yellow 'S' of the Goldsteig, together with the Arberweg and the E6 long-distance path. It begins on a broad forest road and higher up becomes a mountain path over roots and rocks, almost entirely in forest. The path comes out below the gondola top station and the Arberschutzhaus (about 1,350 m), where the views open up. Climb the last 100 m past the Arber chapel (St Bartholomew, rebuilt 2015) onto the treeless summit plateau, with mountain pine and rock meadows unique in the Bavarian Forest, the 1913 summit cross and the two Luftwaffe radar domes. A 1.3 km loop around the plateau takes in the Richard-Wagner-Kopf rocks on the Bodenmaiser Riegel and a viewpoint over the Kleiner Arbersee. Descend the same way, or ride the gondola down to the valley station and walk back. The longer loop over the Mittagsplatzl (about 11.8 km, 650 m, 5 hours) is steeper. The old Seewand path directly through the Arberseewand is unmaintained, barely marked and open only July to October. The mountain is walked all year; in winter you need microspikes, snowshoes or touring skis, and the summit trees become rime-encrusted 'Arbermandl'.
Start
Großer Arbersee960 m
- Arber-Bergbahn 6-seater gondola from the valley station near Bayerisch Eisenstein to the Arberschutzhaus (summer and winter; usually closed for maintenance in spring and in November)
- Train (Waldbahn) to Bayerisch Eisenstein or Bodenmais, then bus to the 'Gr. Arbersee' stop.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Großer Arbersee → Großer Arber | 4.0 | 497 | 6 | 2h 10m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Großer Arbersee960 m
- Hut: Arberschutzhaus1,378 m
- Feature: Arberkapelle1,431 m
- Summit: Großer Arber1,456 m
Key Passages
- Rooty, rocky path in the upper forest
- Gondola top station and Arberschutzhaus
- Summit plateau with the Richard-Wagner-Kopf
Equipment
0/3 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
The highest summit of the Bavarian-Bohemian Forest (1,456 m), the 'King of the Bavarian Forest': a treeless gneiss dome above two forest lakes, with a summit cross, a chapel, a gondola and two Luftwaffe radar domes. An easy 500 m walk from the Großer Arbersee.
The Großer Arber rises in Regen county in Lower Bavaria, near the Czech border above Bayerisch Eisenstein and Bodenmais. It has four tops: the main summit with its 1913 cross, the Bodenmaiser Riegel with the much-photographed Richard-Wagner-Kopf rocks, and the Kleiner and Großer Seeriegel. The Großer Arbersee lies at its south-eastern foot below the steep Arberseewand, and the Kleiner Arbersee to the north-west, both in nature reserves. Although the summit lies below the natural tree line it is treeless, with subalpine grassland, rock meadows and mountain pine found nowhere else in the Bavarian Forest.
The summit is far from wild: the Arber-Bergbahn gondola rises to within 100 m of it, there are ski lifts on its flanks, and the Luftwaffe operates two radar domes on the plateau as part of NATO air defence. The forested approaches are quiet compared with the summit plateau.
The climate is harsh: about 160 frost days and 150 days of snow cover a year, an annual mean of 3.9 °C and up to 1,950 mm of precipitation. In winter wind and rime freeze the spruces into the 'Arbermandl'. The mountain is walked all year, on foot in summer and with snowshoes, spikes or skis in winter.
Climbing Notes
An easy half-day walk for anyone with basic fitness: about 500 m up and down, 3–4 hours return from the Großer Arbersee, on forest roads and a rooty, rocky upper path. Wear boots and bring waterproofs, as fog and wind are common on the open summit. The Arberschutzhaus and the Eisensteiner Hütte near the gondola top station serve food but close during the gondola maintenance periods (usually April/May and November). In winter take microspikes or snowshoes, and keep off the ski pistes. For a longer day, the loops via the Mittagsplatzl or from Bodenmais past the Riesloch falls (16 km, 900 m) are good options.
History
The Bavarian Forest Club built a wooden hut on the summit in 1884 and a first summit hut in 1903; the present shingle-roofed Arberschutzhaus dates from 1936 and was extended in 1985. Baron von Hafenbrädl built the first chapel in 1806; the present one, dedicated to St Bartholomew, is the fifth and dates from 2015, and the Arber fair is held there on the penultimate Sunday of August. The first chairlift opened on 17 September 1949. The radar station, built despite strong opposition from conservationists, entered service in 1983. The mountain hosted Alpine Skiing World Cup races from 1976 to 2011.
Season
Best Jun–Oct- January: Good
- February: Good
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Best (best window)
- November: Possible
- December: Good
- Jan
- Winter walk with snowshoes or spikes; Arbermandl rime ice; ski season
- Feb
- Deep snow; ski season
- Mar
- Snow persists; ski season usually to early April
- Apr
- Snowmelt; huts and gondola often closed for maintenance
- May
- Snow patches possible early in the month; check gondola reopening
- Jul
- Seewand path open July to October
- Aug
- Arber fair at the chapel on the penultimate Sunday
- Oct
- Autumn colours
- Nov
- Gondola maintenance and huts mostly closed; fog and first snow
- Dec
- Winter walking; ski season starts
Access & Permits
- Fees
- Paid car parks at the Großer Arbersee
- Arber-Bergbahn gondola: fare charged
- Rules
- Großer Arbersee und Arberseewand nature reserve: the Seewand path is unmaintained and open only July to October to protect wildlife
- Luftwaffe radar installations on the summit are a restricted military area
- Getting There
Bayerisch Eisenstein
Munich Airport (MUC); Prague Václav Havel Airport (PRG)
- Train: Waldbahn to Bayerisch Eisenstein or Bodenmais, then bus to the Großer Arbersee or the Arber-Bergbahn valley station
- Car: St 2137 between Bayerisch Eisenstein and Bodenmais to the Großer Arbersee car parks, or to the Arber-Bergbahn valley station
Hazards
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,350 m
ArberschutzhausHutStaffed
Daily 10:00–16:00 outside the gondola maintenance periods (usually April/May and November)