About this place
Rolavská vrchoviště is a national nature reserve spread across a high plateau of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory), north of the town of Přebuz, right along the Czech-Saxon border. It lies within the cadastral territories of Přebuz, Rolava, and Chaloupky u Přebuze, at elevations between 880 and 950 meters, and covers more than 750 hectares.
What does the reserve protect?
The reserve was established to preserve largely undisturbed natural stands of upland peat bogs and waterlogged spruce forests. It hosts communities of dwarf pine and mountain and sub-mountain heathland – vegetation typical of the highest and wettest parts of the Ore Mountains. The peat-bog character of the terrain has also preserved unique plant and invertebrate communities, including species tied to the specific microclimate of high-altitude wetlands.
A distinctive feature of the area is the ruins of a former tin ore processing facility – a trace of the region's mining past, around which unusual habitats have developed that are of particular value to entomologists and botanists.
Why this particular spot?
The landscape of Rolavská vrchoviště is what remains of the former settlements of Rolava and Jelení, abandoned and depopulated in the second half of the 20th century. Now uninhabited and far from larger population centers, the area has allowed nature to reclaim the space – today it is one of the wildest stretches of the Czech side of the Ore Mountains.
Established in 2012, the reserve holds the status of a national nature reserve – the highest category of area protection in the Czech Republic. This comes with strict limits on where visitors may go.
How can you visit the reserve?
Under Czech law, national nature reserves may only be visited along approved, marked trails. Three basic paths cross Rolavská vrchoviště, together opening up around eighty hectares of the reserve to visitors. The remaining area is closed to tourist traffic.
This restriction is not arbitrary – the inaccessible part of the reserve serves as a refuge for capercaillie and black grouse, birds that are exceptionally sensitive to human presence during the breeding season. No additional trails have been built precisely to keep these nesting areas quiet and undisturbed.
What should you know before visiting?
The high-altitude location, close to 900 meters above sea level, means weather in the reserve can change quickly even in summer, so appropriate clothing is worth packing. The terrain is wet and peaty, so sturdy footwear is recommended, and visitors should stick strictly to the marked trails – both for their own safety and to protect the fragile peat-bog ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Rolavská vrchoviště reserve established? The reserve was established in 2012 and covers an area of more than 750 hectares.
Can you walk freely across the whole reserve? No. As a national nature reserve, the area is only accessible along three marked trails, which together cover about eighty hectares.
What can you see in the reserve? Peat-bog and waterlogged spruce forests, dwarf pine, mountain heathland, and the ruins of a former tin ore processing facility.
Why weren't more trails built? To preserve quiet, undisturbed breeding grounds for capercaillie and black grouse.
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