Schmilka – Prebischtor – and back

The direct hiking trail from Schmilka to the Prebischtor! Admittedly, it doesn’t go over the Großer Winterberg as hoped (like the old tourist trail) as an extension of the Malerweg… but maybe that will come back someday.

The hike starts in Schmilka with an ascent through the village (past the organic resort with its mill and beer garden) to the Grenzweg. In the past, border patrols from the GDR border guard actually used this path. That’s why this trail is easy to navigate as a forest road. Just make sure not to miss the turnoff from the Malerweg at the beginning, or you’ll end up heading up to the Großer Winterberg. Right at the start, you’ll come to a small bench with a view of the Elbe Valley. Continue on to the first signpost, which points right off the Grenzweg. This signpost is probably the only contribution from the German side to the construction of the new hiking trail! The trail now goes briefly downhill and then uphill for a long stretch. This section of the trail, newly constructed by the Czechs, has been lovingly maintained and even includes a rest bench. Upon reaching the top of the hill, you are confronted for the first time with the aftermath of the 2022 forest fire. On the positive side, it’s worth noting that, between the charred tree trunks, you have an almost unobstructed view of the Zirkelstein, the Kaiserkrone, and the two Zschirnsteins. Since the forest is recovering very quickly, in ten years you’ll see nothing but trees here again… which is just as well. The rest of the trail is well marked. Our next stop is “Hrensko.” So first we have to head downhill again to the road connecting to Rainwiese (Mezni Louka). The descent is very steep and leads into the valley of the “Dürre Biele” stream. At the junction, the stream has been dammed up to form a pond. The following sections of forest are again heavily scarred by the wildfire, and the trail eventually joins the road to Rainwiese (above Herrnskretschen).

The hike now follows the road for just under 700 meters until the Gabrielensteig branches off at a curve. At first, this trail is easy to walk on. But soon a 500-meter stretch begins over coarse gravel—a surface that likely wasn’t even passable by horse-drawn carts in the past. At the 180° hairpin turn, the ordeal is over, and the ascent begins along a sandy path up to the Prebischtor. On this section, thanks to the damage caused by the wildfire, you have an unobstructed view of the Silberwand the entire time.

Finally, you reach the Prebischtor. The final ascent from the Gabrielensteig to the Falkennest at the Prebischtor follows a well-paved trail and passes through a short stone tunnel. Admission to the Prebischtor is subject to a fee and has limited opening hours depending on the season (link to the Falkennest).

Once you reach the top, it quickly becomes clear that the climb was well worth it. A cold Bohemian beer and numerous lookout points offer plenty of variety and stunning panoramic views. You can see not only Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland but also far into the Bohemian low mountain ranges with their characteristic volcanic peaks. As you climb toward the viewpoints, you can still make out the remains of the bridge piers that once supported the crossing to the Prebischtor. Access to the bridge arch was closed in 1982 due to dangerous erosion. Our photo gallery still features a picture from 1980 showing visitors on the arch. Until 1945, the Fremdenweg trail led to the Prebischtor. Access from the German side has since been so heavily barricaded that even illegal hikers are no longer able to reach the Prebischtor by passing through the core zones of the two national parks. Since the forest fire caused far greater damage than the hikers did before 1945, we can only hope that one day the Fremdenweg will be reopened (without compromising nature conservation).

After a wonderful stay at this gem of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, we head back to Schmilka along the same route. If you’re running out of energy, you can take the path along the road to the ferry in Herrnskretschen. On the other side of the Elbe is the Schöna S-Bahn station. From here, you can travel directly to Bad Schandau or Dresden.