Smerek (Bieszczady Mountains)

Smerek is the westernmost summit of the Połonina Wetlińska ridge and one of the most recognisable peaks in the Bieszczady Mountains: a grassy dome 1,222 m high (some maps give 1,223 m) rising above the villages of Smerek and Wetlina. Its open meadows look out over almost the whole of Bieszczady National Park, and the steep red trail from the village is one of the toughest short climbs in the region. On some maps the mountain also appears under the name Wysoka.

Location and landscape

Smerek is the western continuation of the Połonina Wetlińska ridge. It is separated from neighbouring Szare Berdo by Orłowicz Pass (1,075 m), a busy trail junction. Beech forest covers the slopes up to roughly 1,050–1,100 m; above that lies the połonina, the open subalpine meadow of grass and bilberry typical of the Bieszczady. The mountain is part of Bieszczady National Park and borders the Cisna-Wetlina Landscape Park.

The summit has two tops separated by a grassy hollow that locals once called Dołyna. The very steep northern slope was known as the Wall (Ściana). The higher northern top lies a few dozen metres from the southern one and has a tension crack, a fissure formed as the ridge slowly pulls apart. Hikers are allowed onto the southern top.

The summit cross

A metal cross stands on the accessible summit. The first one was erected in 1976 on the initiative of the parish priest of Cisna to mark 600 years of the Archdiocese of Przemyśl. According to local accounts it stands where lightning killed a hiker, a good reminder that storms are a real danger on the open ridge. The worn-out cross was replaced on 18 September 2018 by residents of Wetlina, Smerek and Kalnica to mark the centenary of Polish independence.

What you can see from the top

• Połonina Wetlińska with Szare Berdo and the Chatka Puchatka hut to the east.
• The border range with Wielka Rawka.
• The Łopiennik and Durna range and the Wysoki Dział ridge with Wołosań.
• The Wetlina and Smerek valleys with both villages far below.

Interesting facts

Until the 1940s the meadows on the northern slopes belonged to the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul from Rajskie. Smerek is home to plants that are rare in Poland, including few-flowered sedge and the East Carpathian vetchling. The Main Beskid Trail runs over the summit, so you will also meet long-distance hikers crossing the entire Beskids.

Tripto tip

The shortest route is the red trail from Smerek village: the ascent takes about 2 h 40 min and the descent about 2 hours, with the final section climbing steep steps across the meadow. The yellow trail from Wetlina to Orłowicz Pass is gentler, and from the pass it is another 30 minutes or so to the top. A good option is a loop: up from Smerek, down via the pass to Wetlina. Bieszczady National Park charges an entry fee: a one-day ticket costs PLN 11, reduced PLN 5.50 (as of October 2026, according to the park website), available online or at the ticket point by the trail. There is no shade or shelter on the ridge, so bring a windproof jacket and turn back if a storm is coming.