Bergwirtschaft Ottendorfer Hütte

A little fire crackles in the stove, snow swirls outside the windows, and a large serving of “Makkaroni à la Hütte” steams on the table: What a cozy way to end a day of winter hiking at the Ottendorfer Hütte! For 20 years now, this Alpine-style lodge and restaurant on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National Park has served as a rustic base camp for climbers, hikers, and adventurers. It offers a small but excellent dining menu featuring Saxon classics, and for overnight guests, there’s a rustic dormitory as well as a vacation home.
 
Nestled in the idyllic village of Ottendorf, not far from Sebnitz and just before the Czech border, the lodge transports you to a particularly peaceful part of the national park region. For extended winter hikes, there are a variety of exciting options to choose from: heading northeast, the trail leads through open countryside via Hertigswalde to Sebnitz or to the Tanzplan observation tower in Bohemian Switzerland. To the south, viewpoints such as the “Ottendorfer Raubschloss” or Kleinsteinhöhle, as well as the Kirnitzschtal valley—which remains romantic even in winter—with its famous “Kuhstall” rock arch, invite you to enjoy varied national park tours.
 
A winter highlight at the Ottendorfer Hütte is the “Kultur in der Hütte” event series, featuring readings, concerts, and—above all—travel lectures. These events are often accompanied by traditional regional dishes. The evenings, which usually take place on Fridays, are the perfect way to kick off a weekend getaway in the Hintere Sächsische Schweiz. After the event, you can stay overnight right at the hut and, after a hearty breakfast the next day, set out on a tour through the winter landscape.