Velká Jezerná (1,249 m a.s.l.) is one of the most characterful yet lesser-known summits of the Hrubý Jeseník range — a broad, forested mountain with a long ridge, sitting quietly just a few kilometres from the famous Praděd. If you are after solitude, genuine Moravian highland scenery and woodland trails away from the crowds, this is your kind of place.
The ridge stretches roughly 3.5 km from southeast to northwest, forming a wide, gently rolling summit plateau. Spruce forest dominates most slopes, giving way to mixed and deciduous woodland on the northeastern and northwestern flanks. The northeastern slope is the steepest, reaching gradients up to 50° on short sections, while the southwestern slope is very gentle. The main summit sits at the edge of a small clearing, marked by a geodetic survey post painted in red and white stripes, surrounded by spruces and blueberries — a classic Jeseníky scene. Views are limited by the trees, though you can catch glimpses towards Praděd. In winter the mountain takes on a still, almost austere beauty.
How to reach the summitHere is a remarkable hidden fact: directly beneath the northeastern slope of Velká Jezerná lie the underground machine halls of the Dlouhé Stráně pumped-storage power plant, housing two of the largest reversed Francis turbines in Europe. The mountain quite literally has more to it than meets the eye.