Smerek (1,222 m a.s.l.) is one of the most rewarding summits in the Western Bieszczady Mountains — a peak that rises above sweeping alpine meadows called połoniny and offers views that make the climb completely worthwhile. Its distinctive double-summit silhouette is recognizable from the valleys below, and the open ridge walk above the treeline feels wonderfully wild.
Forests give way to open połoniny above roughly 1,050–1,100 m, and from the accessible southern summit the panorama is spectacular: Połonina Wetlińska stretches to the east, the ridge along the Polish-Ukrainian border with Wielka Rawka and Riaba Skała lines the horizon, and the villages of Wetlina and Smerek nestle in the valleys far below. A metal cross stands at the southern summit — it was originally erected in 1976 and replaced in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence.
How to reach the summitTwo plant species rare in Poland — sparse-flowered sedge and eastern Carpathian vetchling — grow on the slopes of Smerek, making this summit a quietly important place for botanists as well as hikers.