Malý Děd (1369 m a.s.l.) is one of the most rewarding summits in the Hrubý Jeseník range — sitting on the main ridge just 2.2 km northwest of the famous Praděd. It may not draw the crowds its towering neighbour does, but that is precisely its charm: quiet trails, dense spruce forests and a genuine sense of wilderness.
The summit has an elongated ridge and a gently domed, slightly flattened top covered with sparse spruces, alpine grasses and dwarf pine. The slopes are predominantly thick spruce forest, dotted with clearings and small meadows. Waterfalls are scattered across the hillsides — most notably Vysoký vodopád, the tallest waterfall in the entire Hrubý Jeseník range, found on the northwestern slope. In winter the area transforms into a serene snowscape perfect for cross-country skiing along the Jesenická magistrála trail. Views from the very top are limited by vegetation, but from the nearby paths you can enjoy fine panoramas of Praděd, Dlouhé stráně and Medvědí hřbet.
How to reach the summitMalý Děd straddles the Great European Watershed — its eastern slopes drain to the Baltic Sea while the western slopes feed rivers flowing to the Black Sea. Few summits offer such a quietly remarkable geographical distinction.