--- title: "Skiing in and around Vrchlabí: Kněžický vrch, Herlíkovice, Strážné, Benecko and Černý Důl" description: "Where to ski near Vrchlabí: Kněžický vrch, Herlíkovice–Bubákov, Strážné, Benecko and Černý Důl. Who each ski area suits and how far it is from our rental." url: https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/guides/skiing-in-and-around-vrchlabi language: en-GB published: 2026-09-25 updated: 2026-09-25 publisher: "SKI Rental Jiří Honců, Valteřická 1436, 543 01 Vrchlabí, Česko" --- # Skiing in and around Vrchlabí: Kněžický vrch, Herlíkovice, Strážné, Benecko and Černý Důl Besides Špindlerův Mlýn, there are several smaller ski areas around Vrchlabí, and the nearest is right in town. Here is what they offer according to their operators, who they suit and how far they are by car from our rental. We took the information on slopes and lifts from the ski areas' websites and the Krkonoše tourist portal in September 2026 and calculated the distances with the public route planner OSRM. Check operation in winter 2026/27 and snow conditions on the ski area's website before you go. By car, from our rental on Valteřická street it is: - about 3 km to Kněžický vrch in Vrchlabí, roughly 8 minutes, - about 5 km to Herlíkovice–Bubákov in Vrchlabí, roughly 6 minutes, - about 9 km to Strážné, roughly 12 minutes, - about 11 km to Černý Důl, roughly 16 minutes, - about 13 km to Benecko, roughly 14 minutes, - about 16 km to Špindlerův Mlýn, roughly 18 minutes. ## Kněžický vrch: slopes close to the town centre According to its operator, the Kněžický vrch ski area is 400 metres from the centre of Vrchlabí, by the bypass that leads to Špindlerův Mlýn. The Kněžický Express four-seater chairlift and a three-seater chairlift take you up, and there are also drag lifts and two conveyor belts. Of the nine slopes, six are blue and three red, the longest is 1,150 metres, and all of them can be covered with artificial snow. Who it suits: the operator describes the terrain as ideal for beginners and families with children. There are ski and snowboard schools, and according to the Krkonoše tourist portal, parking at car parks P1 and P2 is free in winter. It also works for a short session, for example in the afternoon after you arrive. ## Herlíkovice–Bubákov: longer runs on the road to Špindlerův Mlýn The ski area on the northern edge of Vrchlabí consists of two parts, Herlíkovice and Bubákov. According to the operator, there are two four-seater chairlifts, a short gondola from the car park across the river and four drag lifts. Most of the ten slopes are easy or intermediate, while the Sportovní slope is intermediate to difficult. The longest slopes are over 1.5 km, and the Rodinná slope has a vertical drop of 410 metres. Who it suits: families and recreational skiers who want longer runs than at Kněžický vrch. The ski area is right by the road to Špindlerův Mlýn, local buses stop here, and according to the Krkonoše tourist portal, parking is free. ## Strážné: a small ski area with night skiing You turn off to Strážné from the road between Vrchlabí and Špindlerův Mlýn. According to the municipality's website, the ski area has three slopes from 350 to 500 metres long, the easy Kolonka and the intermediate Kotva and Pod Starou školou, plus a freestyle park, a children's lift and a very gentle practice slope. Half of the slopes have artificial snow and floodlights, and in winter 2025/26 there was night skiing twice a week. Who it suits: families with younger children and less experienced skiers who are happy with shorter slopes. The Krkonoše tourist portal describes it as an intimate ski area with a family atmosphere. ## Benecko: gentle slopes and children's parks According to its tourist website, Benecko lies at an altitude of around 900 metres. The Kejnos four-seater chairlift, drag lifts and children's conveyor belts take you up, the slopes have artificial snow, and according to the ski area's website you can ski every evening during the season. There are gentle slopes, a slalom slope, a snow park and three children's ski parks; the longest slope is 850 metres. Who it suits: families with children, beginners and lower intermediates, for whom, according to the Krkonoše tourist portal, it offers sunny slopes. ## Černý Důl: wide gentle slopes and a shared ski pass Černý Důl is part of SkiResort ČERNÁ HORA – PEC, which links five ski areas with a shared ski pass. According to the operator, it has wide, gentle slopes totalling 8.5 km, two chairlifts and the LIVE park learning area with conveyor belts and a children's lift. Parking at the ski area is free, and local buses also run here from Vrchlabí. Who it suits: according to the operator, mainly families with children. If you want more, the operator says the ski bus takes you to the Černá hora ski area in Janské Lázně in 10 minutes. ## And Špindlerův Mlýn? Špindlerův Mlýn is about 16 km from us. According to the town website, it has 27 km of slopes in five areas and it describes Horní Mísečky as suited to children and beginner skiers and snowboarders. Whether to stay right in Špindlerův Mlýn or in Vrchlabí and also use the ski areas nearby is covered in a separate article. [Where to stay for skiing: Špindlerův Mlýn or Vrchlabí?](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/guides/where-to-stay-for-skiing-spindleruv-mlyn-or-vrchlabi) ## One set of gear for every ski area If you switch between ski areas, you do not need to switch gear. Rent it from us in Vrchlabí for your whole stay and ski wherever you like. We choose ski length and binding settings based on height, weight and experience, and for children we rent kids' skis, boots and helmets. [Kids' skis, boots and helmets: what length and what fit](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/guides/kids-ski-rental-ski-length-boots-helmet) [Ski rental in Vrchlabí](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/ski-rental) [Book your gear online](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/booking) ## Frequently asked questions ### Where can I ski right in Vrchlabí? At the Kněžický vrch ski area, which according to its operator is 400 metres from the town centre, and at Herlíkovice–Bubákov on the northern edge of town. Both are less than 5 km by car from our rental. ### Which ski area near Vrchlabí suits beginners and small children? The operator of Kněžický vrch in Vrchlabí describes its terrain as ideal for beginners and families with children. Benecko also has gentle slopes and children's ski parks, Černý Důl has the LIVE park learning area, and Strážné has a children's lift with a very gentle practice slope. ### How far is it from Vrchlabí to Benecko? From our rental in Vrchlabí it is about 13 km to Benecko according to the route planner, roughly 14 minutes by car. ### Is there a shared ski pass in Černý Důl? Yes, the shared SkiResort ČERNÁ HORA – PEC ski pass for five ski areas is valid in Černý Důl. According to the operator, you can also use a local ski pass that is valid only in Černý Důl. ### Can you ski in the evening near Vrchlabí? Yes, according to the ski areas' websites there is night skiing in Benecko during the season, and in winter 2025/26 also twice a week in Strážné. Check the current schedule on the ski area's website. --- SKI Rental Jiří Honců · Valteřická 1436, 543 01 Vrchlabí · +420 603 554 947 · skihoncu@gmail.com - [Book now](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/booking) - [Prices](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/prices) - [All guides](https://www.skiverleih.cz/en/guides) Other languages: [Čeština](https://www.skiverleih.cz/md/cs/lyzovani-vrchlabi-a-okoli.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.skiverleih.cz/md/de/skigebiete-vrchlabi-und-umgebung.md) · [Polski](https://www.skiverleih.cz/md/pl/narty-vrchlabi-i-okolice.md) · [Українська](https://www.skiverleih.cz/md/uk/lyzhi-vrkhlabi-ta-okolytsi.md)