Malý Smrk (1,174 m a.s.l.) is a rewarding off-the-beaten-path summit in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids, sitting on the eastern ridge of the Smrk massif. No marked trail leads all the way to the top — and that small element of adventure is precisely what makes it special, with fine views over the surrounding mountains as your prize.

The upper parts of the mountain still bear the scars of past industrial air pollution, with dead and slowly regenerating forest giving the summit area a raw, atmospheric feel. Lower down on the southern slope, a nature reserve of the same name shelters spruce forests mixed with beech, fir, rowan and maple. The whole massif is famous throughout the Beskids for its blueberry picking in summer, while in winter the silent snow-covered forest offers a true escape from the crowds.

• Ostravice (bus and train stop, parking) — red-marked trail to the saddle between Malý Smrk and Smrk, then an unmarked path approx. 250 m east-northeast to the summit — moderate difficulty.
• Staré Hamry (bus stop, parking) — blue-marked trail via the Velký Potok junction to the saddle — moderate difficulty.
• Šance dam — yellow-marked trail past the Na Růžanci rocks to the saddle — moderate difficulty.

• No marked trail reaches the actual summit — from the saddle with Smrk, follow an unmarked path for approx. 250 m in an east-northeast direction.
• The Bučací waterfall — one of the largest cascade waterfalls in this part of the Carpathians, with a total drop of around 40 m — lies near the saddle and is accessible via an unmarked forest track. The surrounding 35-hectare nature reserve has been protected since 2004.

The Bučací stream rises right in the saddle between Malý Smrk and Smrk, then tumbles down to form spectacular cascades below — well worth adding to your itinerary on the way to or from the summit.