Lackowa (997 m a.s.l.) is the highest peak on the Polish side of the Beskid Niski range — a broad, dome-shaped summit that rises unmistakably above the villages of Izby and Bieliczna and can be spotted from miles away. It sits right on the Polish-Slovak border, and for hikers collecting the Crown of Polish Mountains, it is an essential tick.

From the top, you are rewarded with sweeping views across the rolling, forested ridges of the Beskid Niski on the Polish side and the Slovak hills beyond. This part of the Carpathians has a gentle, intimate character — dense beech forests that glow gold and copper in autumn, and a quiet, almost remote atmosphere that feels a world away from the busy Tatras. In winter the summit can be wrapped in mist and hoarfrost, giving it a wonderfully moody feel.

How to reach the summit

• Przełęcz Beskid pass (644 m) — red trail, approx. 1–1.5 h, demanding (the western slope is one of the steepest marked trail sections in Polish mountains outside the Tatras)
• Przełęcz Tylicka — red trail via Dzielec and Czerteż to Przełęcz Beskid, then to the summit — longer ridge route, approx. 3–4 h
• Przełęcz Wysowska — red trail from the east via Ostry Wierch (938 m), a gentler approach

Practical information

• Lackowa is one of the 28 peaks of the Crown of Polish Mountains — a must for collectors of this prestigious list.
• The summit lies on the Polish-Slovak border, making cross-border ridge walks possible.
• The western slope via the red trail from Przełęcz Beskid is officially one of the steepest marked trail sections in Poland outside the Tatras — take extra care on the descent, especially in wet conditions.

During the Bar Confederation in the 18th century, the then-treeless summit of Lackowa was used as a signalling point by Kazimierz Pułaski's forces — earning it the nickname 'Pułaski's Little Flag'. History has a way of hiding in plain sight up here.