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Wysoka Kopa 1126 m n.p.m- The highest peak of the Izerskie Mountains
Wysoka Kopa - Izerskie Mountains
Below you will find practical information: Where to park your car? How long does it take to reach Wysoka Kopa? What is the shortest route? Where can you find the Polish Crown of Mountains stamp? Which route should you choose to climb Wysoka Kopa?
Wysoka Kopa is the highest peak of the Izera Mountains, standing at 1126 meters above sea level. Since November 2021, the summit has been closed to tourists due to the protection of black grouse. Therefore, the summit marker and sign have been moved to the red trail, and there is no need to divert onto an unmarked trail.
Practical information about Wysoka Kopa:
- Free parking
- Stamp available at the summit
- Free entry
- Wysoka Kopa with kids
The summit is not particularly difficult, but it’s relatively long, so it's worth adjusting the distance to your child's abilities to ensure they enjoy the hike. The surface on the yellow trail is gravel for almost its entire length, making it easy to ride a bike on this route as well. 🚵
The route we chose for Wysoka Kopa:
Rozdroże Izerskie - Rozdroże pod Kopą - Sine Skałki - Wysoka Kopa - Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami - Rozdroże pod Zwaliskiem - Rozdroże Izerskie
- Route length: 14.2 km
- Hiking time: ~4:13 h
- Elevation gain: 408 meters
Starting from the parking lot, we immediately join the 🟡yellow trail and follow it for about 500 meters. Here, you’ll have a decision to make: Do you want a longer but gentler ascent to the summit, or fewer ascents but with steeper inclines? The choice is yours! 😉
We chose the first option and turned right onto the 🟡yellow trail, staying on it for the next 5 kilometers, enjoying the views along the way. We continue uphill with a gradient ranging from 2-10%. You might wonder if that’s a lot? In our opinion, definitely not, but you might get a bit winded walking like this for about 1:30 hours. 🙂
At this point, the yellow and red trails intersect. We chose the 🔴red trail, making a sharp left turn.
The signpost points towards Wysoki Kamień. From here, it’s just under 2 km to the highest peak of the Izera Mountains. It’s worth looking to the right occasionally – there are many open areas with no tall vegetation, offering picturesque views. 😍
Along the way, we found a bench, a perfect spot for a short break. It’s a great chance to enjoy a snack and the breathtaking scenery.
As mentioned earlier, due to the protection of the black grouse, the summit marker and stamp have been relocated to the red trail. As of August 2024, there’s no need to follow an unmarked trail to reach it.
At the summit, we took a short break – a moment to catch our breath, stamp our hiking books, and take the obligatory souvenir photo. 🤳
When we were ready, we continued along the 🔴red trail toward Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami. Along the way, we passed a shelter for tourists, near where the unmarked trail to the summit used to lead. This time, however, we stuck to the red trail – after all, we had already documented our summit achievement!
We turned left just before the shelter, still following the 🔴red trail, and gradually began our descent. Ahead was a short section through the forest, where the surface changed from gravel to one full of roots and stones, adding a bit of adventure to the hike. After about 1.5 km, we reached a signpost where three trails converge. This was a sign that we had arrived at Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami. We turned left and continued toward Rozdroże Izerskie, following our planned route.
After walking about 200 meters, we noticed covered tables with benches on the right side – an ideal spot for a break. However, if you’re feeling energetic, you can continue. After about 650 meters, you’ll come across the famous "Stanisław" quartz mine on the left. It’s worth taking a short detour uphill to admire these unique views – this place is truly impressive! 🙂
After visiting the mine, we returned to the trail and followed it toward Szklarska Droga, where, according to the signs for the red and green trails, we turned left. After another 170 meters, we reached a fork – this time, we chose the 🟢green trail. This section takes us through a forest, where the path is dominated by roots and stones, and the incline reaches up to 32%. After more than a kilometer of hiking on rough terrain, we turned left onto a gravel road. On the left side, we passed a hunting platform – an interesting point along the trail.
About 10 minutes after passing the platform, we arrived at a fork in the road where we had earlier decided which route to take. Now, it's the final stretch back to our parked car at the parking lot!
If you chose the second option, turning left onto the 🟢green trail, you would head toward Rozdroże pod Zawaliskiem. There you’ll encounter plenty of roots and stones underfoot, so be cautious.
Next, you’ll reach Szklarska Droga, where three trails converge: green, red, and blue. On the right side, you’ll pass the highest quartz mine in Poland – "Stanisław" – make sure to climb up for a view. At Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami, turn right onto the 🔴red trail.
Nearby, you’ll find a shelter that’s easy to spot, and from there, it’s just the last 1400 meters to the finish. 🙂
Some of the photos below were taken from the Jakuszyce side (the welcome sign in the Izera Mountains, a water stream, railway tracks).
The trail starts from the parking lot 🅿️ https://maps.app.goo.gl/qjCgv6Q4hy7yDEKT8, which is paid and costs about 30 PLN for the day. The trail has a smaller elevation gain and a shorter route, but you return along the same path. Alternatively, you can make a loop by going through Rozdroże pod Kopą.
Wysoka Kopa trail from Jakuszyce:
Jakuszyce - Rozdroże pod Cichą Równią - Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami - Under Wysoka Kopa - Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami - Rozdroże pod Cichą Równią - Jakuszyce
Route length: 11.8 km
Hiking time: ~3:20 h
Elevation gain: 242 m
Wysoka Kopa trial from Jakuszyc:
Jakuszyce - Rozdroże pod Cichą Równią - Rozdroże pod Izerskimi Garbami - Pod Wysoką Kopą - Rozdroże pod Kopą - Rozdroże pod Izerskim garbem - Rozdroże pod Cichą Równią - Jakuszyce
Route length: 15.6 km
Hiking time: ~4:20 h
Elevation gain: 287 m
If we were to recommend anything, we would definitely stick to our original choice of route!
However, if you're hiking with children, it might be worth considering taking this path and returning the same way – it could be an easier option.
It’s also worth noting that there are three other peaks from the Polish Crown of Mountains in the area: Śnieżka, Skalnik, and Skopiec. If you're eager for more challenges, you might want to conquer these too. 🙂
And if you're done with mountain hikes for the day, maybe it’s time to visit Szklarska Poręba and check out the Kamieńczyk Waterfall? It’s a great way to relax and enjoy beautiful views to end the day! 👍