Kotel (1435 m a.s.l.) is one of the most distinctive peaks in the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše) — the tenth highest summit in the Czech Republic and the highest point of Semily District. It has a strong character of its own, and while the very top is off-limits, the trails around it reward you with wild mountain scenery and a genuine sense of remoteness.

Rising about 5 km east-northeast of the ski resort of Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Kotel is built mostly of mica schist shaped by Hercynian folding. Its southeastern flanks are embraced by two glacial cirques — Malá and Velká Kotelní jáma — which carry a real avalanche risk in winter. In summer the open ridges offer sweeping views towards neighbouring summits like Lysá hora (1344 m) and Harrachovy kameny (1421 m). In winter the groomed cross-country ski trails around the mountain are a big draw.

• Rokytnice nad Jizerou — cable car to Lysá hora, then red trail along the slopes of Kotel — moderate difficulty
• From Zlaté návrší — approaching from the source of the Elbe river and Labská bouda mountain hut — alternative route, moderate difficulty

• The actual summit lies within the quiet zone of Krkonoše National Park — no marked trail leads to the very top
• First Republic-era bunkers (known as řopíky) dot the slopes and are mostly open to visit
• A mysterious circular stone enclosure called Růženčina zahrádka (Rose Garden) can be found on the hillside
• Avalanche risk in the southeastern cirques during winter — check local avalanche bulletins before heading out

In the past, the mountain was known as Krkonoš — the very name from which the entire range may have taken its identity. Nearby, a memorial cairn marks the spot where skiers Hanč and Vrbata perished in a legendary 1913 storm.