Großer Arber — the 'King of the Bavarian Forest' — stands at 1,456 m and is the highest peak in Bavaria outside the Alps. It offers an unexpectedly wild, almost alpine character for a Central European mid-range mountain, with wide-open summit views and a landscape that surprises at every season.

Although the summit does not technically exceed the natural tree line, it rises above the forest into open subalpine grasslands, rocky clearings and dwarf pine thickets — a landscape found nowhere else in the Bavarian Forest. In winter, easterly winds sculpt the mountaintop spruces into bizarre ice-clad figures known locally as 'Arbermandl' (little Arber men), an iconic sight that has been broadcast on Bavarian television every New Year. In summer, two glacially formed lakes — Großer Arbersee and Kleiner Arbersee — glitter in protected nature reserves just below the summit, perfect for a detour after the climb. A cosy mountain hut and a small chapel dedicated to St Bartholomew wait at the top, hosting a traditional mountain mass every August.

• Bodenmais (Rissloch car park) — trail via the Riesloch waterfalls, approx. 2–2.5 h, moderate difficulty
• Bayerisch Eisenstein — approach from the north-east; descent can be varied via the Kleiner Arber (1,384 m)

• The Arber-Bergbahn chairlift provides an alternative ascent — convenient for families or bad weather days
• The Arberschutzhaus mountain hut on the summit offers food and accommodation (seasonal opening)
• Seasonal bus lines connect Bodenmais, Bayerisch Eisenstein and Zwiesel to the mountain; winter ski buses run every 15–30 minutes from Bodenmais
• Two NATO radar domes on the summit are hard to miss — the installation has been operational since 1983 as part of integrated NATO air defence

The name 'Arber' appeared in historical records only in 1740; before that the mountain carried medieval and Celtic names, likely derived from the Celtic 'Arduikos' meaning 'the high mountain' — a title it still lives up to today.