Jeseníky Mountains are the large mountains in the northern part of Moravia on the border of the Czech Republic and Poland. They are divided into the smaller mountain groups:

Rychlebské hory - Smrk (1125 m)

Králický Sněžník - Králický Sněžník (1424 m)

Hrubý Jeseník - Praděd (1492 m)

Nízký Jeseník - Slunečná (798 m)

The highest mountain of Jeseníky is Praděd (1492 m). Other mountains in this area:

Králický Sněžník (1424 m)

Keprník (1423 m)

Vysoká Hole (1464 m)

Petrovy kameny (1438 m)

Kamzičník (1419 m)

Velký Máj (1384 m)

Velký Děd (1379 m)

Malý Děd (1354 m)

Šerák (1350 m)

Mravenečník (1343 m)

Vřesník (1342 m)

The height of Jeseníky: from 201 m (river basin of Osoblaha River) to 1492 m (Praděd). The massif of Praděd - Pradědská hornatina has average height of 953 m and there are located the highest mountains in Moravia and Silesia: Praděd itself (1492 m), Vysoká hole (1464 m), and Petrovy kameny (1438 m). The ridge continues to the south with the summits of Kamzičník (1419 m), Velký Máj (1384 m), Jelení hřbet (1367 m), Břidličná hora (1358 m), Pecný (1344 m), and Pec (1311 m) to the saddle of Skřítek (860 m). To the north goes ridge through the Malý Děd (1355 m) to Červenohorské sedlo Saddle (1013 m).

Another important massifs are : massif of Mravenečník - Velká Jezerná with a pumping power plant on the top of Dlouhé stráně (1350 m); massif of Keprník - from Červenohorské sedlo to Šerák, which culminates on Keprník (1423 m). From Keprník goes another ridge to Vozka (1377 m). A little bit smaller group is a massif of Medvědská hornatina - with Medvědí vrch (1216 m), and Orlík (1204 m).

Králický Sněžník - second highest mountain group in this area - 1424 m. Part of this group is located in Poland already. On the Czech side, there are two ridges: Sušina(1321 m) and Srázná (1074 m), on the west side goes a ridge to Malý Sněžník (1338 m) and ends with Klepý (1143 m). Králický Sněžník is one of the Czech highest mountains, third after Krkonoše and Hrubý Jeseník. There are no chalets in Králický Sněžník and no asphalt roads run through it. The mountain got its name, Sněžník (Snow-covered), from the fact that its peak remains covered in snow on an average of eight months a year. Although the larger part of these jagged highlands is situated in Poland (Masyw Snieżnika), the Czech side has plenty to offer visitors. Five massive peaks protrude from the top of Sněžník ’s rounded cupola (1424 m), featuring the dominant Malý Sněžník (1338 m), Sušiny (1321 m), Podbělky (1307 m) and Klepý (1143 m). On its southern side you will also find a European watershed – rivers that empty their waters into the Baltic (Kladská Nisa, Nysa Kłodzka), Black (Morava) and North (Tichá Orlice) Seas. Thanks to its height, the region of Králický Sněžník is also situated in the Alpine zone. The Lichtenstein chalet once stood in Králický Sněžník . In its place today you will find a baby-elephant statue that has become a symbol of these mountains over time. The source of the Morava River is situated slightly under the peak, not far from the baby-elephant, at a height of 1390 metres.

The third part of Jeseníky area forms the Rychlebské hory, with highest point Smrk (1125 m). They are joining with Králický Sněžník in the Kladské sedlo Saddle (817 m), and with Hrubý Jeseník in Ramzovské sedlo Saddle (759 m).

The eastern neighbour of Hrubý Jeseník is Nízký Jeseník , but this is different kind of mountains already.

Two rivers head here, the Tichá Orlice River that flows into Labe, and the longest Moravian river - Morava River.

Climate conditions in Jeseníky Mountains can be characterized as mild cold. The climate conditions and the mineral springs caused the creation of renowned health resort towns like the Jeseník with the Priessnitz Health Resort), Lipová-lázně, Karlova Studánka, and Velké Losiny.

Mountains

Praděd
Praděd (Great-grandfather, Altvater) is the highest mountain of Hrubý Jeseník and Moravia and the 4th highest in the Czech Republic. On the top of Praděd, there is a TV tower, 162 m high, and a top of this tower is the highest (although non-natural) point in the Czech Republic. This mountain is located on the historical Silesian-Moravian border.
First outlook-tower on the top, in a form of a gothic castle, was built in 1903-1912, and was 32.5 m high. This tower collapsed 2nd May 1959. Construction of present tower started in 1968. It was finished in 1983.
Massif of mountain Praděd is a nature preserve with characteristic plants. On its north-western slopes there are situated Tabulové skály Rocks.

Dlouhé stráně
The dam was built in 1996. The upper reservoir (1350 m; capacity 2.7 millions cubic meters) is connected with the power plant by two feeders (1547 and 1499 m long). The power plant is connected with the lower reservoir by two tubes with diameter 5.2 m (354 and 390 m long). The lower reservoir is located on the Divoká Desná River (capacity of 3.4 millions cubic meters) The power station is situated in the heart of the mountain. It has the biggest reverse water turbine in the Europe (325 MW), it is a power plant with the biggest gradient in the Czech Republic (510.7 m) and it is most powerfull in the Czech Republic (2 x 325 MW).

Petrovy kameny (Peter´s Stones)
The bizarre rocks Petrovy kameny host within their unique subalpine plant communities neoendemic species.Three massive eroded gneiss rocks, 7 meters high, dominate the ridge from Praděd to the saddleback Skřítek. They were named Peter's Stones as a remembrance of a stormy night, when the rocks provided shelter to blacksmith Peter and his love, pursued by guards of her mean father - the keeper of the land. This is the place of legendary witches´ sabbaths.

Red Tape - CHKO Jeseníky

Area of Jeseníky was in 1969 declared as Protection Landscape Area, which consists of Hrubý Jeseník, Hanušovická vrchovina and Zlatohorská vrchovina.
Area: 750 km2
Altitude: 339 - 1492 m
- 4 National Nature Reserves
- 18 Nature Reserves
- 6 Nature Monuments
+ National Nature Reserves Králický Sněžník, and National Nature Monuments Na Špičáku, Ptačí hora, Rešovské vodopády Waterfalls, Velký Roudný, Venušiny misky, Na Pomezí Cave, and Borový.

Hiking is allowed only along the marked routes.

Správa CHKO Jeseníky
Šumperská 93
790 01 Jeseník

Tel.: +420 584 458 659
Fax: +420 584 458 646
E-mail: jeseniky@nature.cz

National Nature Reserves

Praděd, 820-1492 m, 2031,40 ha; one of the biggest reserves in the Czech Republic arise from integration of six other National Nature Reserves: Petrovy kameny, Velká kotlina, Malá kotlina, summit of Praděd, Divoký důl, and Bílá Opava

Rašeliniště Skřítek, 800-890 m; 166.65 ha

Rejvíz, 734-794 m; 329.1395 ha; the largest Moravian peat bog. A nature trail leads through it, taking the tourist all the way to the large moss lake. The trail begins at the Rejvíz Pension.

Šerák-Keprník, 860-1423 m; 1174.44 ha; the oldest reserve on Moravia, declared in 1903

Nature reserves

Borek

Bučina pod Františkovou myslivnou

Filipovické louky

Františkov

Franz-Franz

Jelení bučina

Morgenland

Niva-Branné

Pasák

Pod Jelení studánkou

Pod Slunečnou strání

Pstruží potok

Rabštejn

Růžová

Skalní potok

Smrčina

Sněžná kotlina

Suchý vrch

Štola pod Jelení cestou

řumárník

U Slatinného potoka

Vysoký vodopád

Zadní Hutisko

Nature monuments

Chebzí

Getting there

Main cities in this area are:

Jeseník

Vrbno pod Pradědem

Karlova Studánka

Bruntál

Rýmařov

Šumperk

The closest airpoirt is in Mošnov.

Links for buses, and trains timetables:
In Czech
In English
In German

Camping, huts

Mountain huts in Jeseníky

Chata Jiřího - on the top of Šerák (1351 m),
Chata Jiřího
788 25 Branná
tel.: 584 414 142

Chata Paprsek in Rychlebské hory

Chata Švýcárna between Červenohorské sedlo and Praděd, 1315 m, 250 kc per night; Švýcárna

Chata Barborka on the southern slopes of Praděd, 1320 m, 140 kc per night; Chata Barborka-contact

Chata Ovčárna 1300 m; 480-640 kc per night, Ovčárna-contact

Skřítek on the Skřítek Saddle, 877 m

Routes

Praděd
From Hvězda - there is a parking place (100 Kč per day), where you can park your car, or you can pay 360 Kč, and go by car directly to Ovčárna (1320 m); or you can go by bus (14 Kč, 6 km). From Ovčárna you follow red marked route to Pod Pradědem (1420 m), 35 min from Ovčárna. From the crossroad below the summit follow the blue marked route to the summit (1492 m), 65 min.

Dlouhé stráně
To the Pod Pradědem (1420 m) point, is the route the same as in previous description. From the crossroad follow the blue marked route to Divoký důl (1100 m), and finally to the lower reservoir of Dlouhé stráně (870 m). 3 1/4 h.

Keprník
We start in Dolní Domašov (520 m). From there follow the green marked route along the Keprnický potok Stream, and to the place called Pod Točníkem (700 m). From there follow over Točník (1143 m) to Sedlo pod Vřesovkou Saddle (1210 m). From there follow yellow marked route to the rocks on the summit of Vozka (1350 m), and further along the green marked route to the summit of Vozka (1370 m). From the summit follow yellow marked route to Trojmezí (1316 m) and further along the red marked route to the summit of Keprník (1423 m). 3 h 20 min

The main ridge of Jeseníky
Jeseník (460 m) - yellow marked route - Lipová (480 m) - Javořík (700 m) - Pod Strmým (800 m) - blue marked route - Pod Šerákem (1270 m) - yellow marked route - Šerák (1351 m) - blue marked route - Pod Keprníkem (1280 m) - red marked route - Keprník (1423 m) - Trojmezí (1316 m) - Vozka (1370 m) - yellow marked route - Vozka, rocks (1350 m) - green marked route - Sedlo pod Vřesovkou (1210 m) - red marked route - Vřesová studánka (1250 m) - Bílý sloup (1190 m) - Červenohorské sedlo (1020 m) - Klínovec (1100 m) - Malý Jezerník (1200 m) - Slatě (1299 m) - Švýcárna (1320 m) - Praděd, crossroad (1420 m) - blue marked route - Praděd (1492 m) - Praděd, crossroad (1420 m) - red marked route - Pod Pradědem - Barborka, hut (1320 m) - Ovčárna (1320 m) - Nad Ovčárnou (1380 m) - Vysoká hole (1460 m) - Kamzičník (1419 m) - Nad Malým kotlem (1335 m) - green marked route - Jelení studánka (1311 m) - Pecný (1334 m) - Pod Ztracenými kameny (1100 m) - Nad Skřítkem (890 m) - red marked route - Skřítek (860 m) - blue marked route - Klepačov (705 m) - Svobodín (740 m) - red marked route - Pod Smrčinou (630 m) - Údolí Merty (450 m). Length : 57 km, 19 hours

Králický Sněžník
Staré Město pod Sněžníkem (540 m) - blue marked route - Stříbrnice (637 m) - yellow marked route - Návrší (900 m) - Nad Adéliným pramenem (1050 m) - red marked route - Stříbrnická, Saddle (1210 m) - Pramen Moravy (1390 m) - Králický Sněžník (1424 m), 10 km, 3 hours

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