Großer Arber is the highest peak in the Bavarian Forest at 1,456 m and, by some distance, the biggest ski area between the Alps and the Erzgebirge. A modest 12 km piste system threads off the Arber-Bergbahn, alongside a serious FIS Alpine race slope, the Arber-Slalom. It is famously the cradle of German alpine racers, including former World Cup star Felix Neureuther, who first learned to ski here.
Großer Arber is a ski resort in Germany, in the Bavarian Forest. The village sits at 920 m and the lifts top out at 1456 m, with 12 km of pistes and 5 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 68/100, and the season usually runs Dec 14 → Mar 31.
How we score and classify resortsRun counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Excellent · 548 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Großer Arber, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.7/5 from 548 reviews). It sits about 2.8 km from the slopes. A mid-range option for Großer Arber, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Excellent · 352 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Großer Arber, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Excellent · 256 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Großer Arber, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Excellent · 265 reviews
Strong value for Großer Arber, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Excellent · 234 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Großer Arber, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Great · 445 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Großer Arber.
Excellent · 162 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Großer Arber, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Excellent · 133 reviews
Strong value for Großer Arber, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Excellent · 117 reviews
Strong value for Großer Arber, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Good · 538 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Großer Arber.
Excellent · 99 reviews
Strong value for Großer Arber, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Excellent · 107 reviews
Strong value for Großer Arber, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
There is no village at the lift base, so ski-in/ski-out as such does not exist on the Großer Arber; the closest beds are a few mountain inns along the access road, with most visitors staying down in Bayerisch Eisenstein or Bodenmais and driving up.
The Arber-Bergbahn rises from 920 m to the 1,456 m summit and serves 12 km of piste on five lifts, weighted to red and black gradients that punch above the small kilometre count. The Arber-Slalom is the centrepiece: a genuine FIS race slope used for Europa Cup and German national-team training, where the local club has shaped two generations of racers, Felix Neureuther included. Lower down, the blues are short but well graded for families, and a small snowpark is shaped each season under the Sonnenhang lift for kids learning their first rotations. The Großer Arbersee, the frozen-jewel lake just below the access road, gives the resort its postcard signature and a beautiful loop for snowshoers and ski-tourers on rest days. Snow lies long here, helped by altitude rare for the region and a north-facing main bowl, and the Arber-Bergbahn invests steadily in fresh snowmaking and chairlift upgrades. The vibe is unmistakably German upland forest rather than Alpine, with old Waldlerhäuser farms, glühwein huts and a quiet, slow après-ski. For German families east of Munich, or for visitors curious about the country's racing heartland, it is a singular winter day out.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Großer Arber: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Großer Arber offers 12 km of pistes across 5 lifts, from 920 m to 1456 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Dec 14 to Mar 31, with a snow score of 68/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
There is no village at the lift base, so ski-in/ski-out as such does not exist on the Großer Arber; the closest beds are a few mountain inns along the access road, with most visitors staying down in Bayerisch Eisenstein or Bodenmais and driving up.
Großer Arber has 12 km of marked pistes served by 5 lifts, between 920 m and 1456 m of altitude.
Großer Arber counts about 12 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.
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