Wielki Opalony Wierch (1485 m a.s.l.) is a forested ridge peak in the Polish Western Tatras that rewards those willing to step off the beaten path. Hidden among its spruce-covered slopes are two caves and the last grassy remnants of a once-thriving mountain pasture. If you enjoy quiet, atmospheric hiking far from the crowds, this summit is a genuine hidden gem.

The peak sits along a long ridge running northeast from Kominiarski Wierch via Kufa. Its western slopes descend into the upper Dudowa Valley, while the eastern side drops toward the Lejowa Valley via Tylkowy Żleb. The landscape is dominated by dense forest year-round — blazing with autumn colour in October, hushed and snow-draped in winter, and lush green come spring. Small meadow clearings — the fading traces of the former 'Hala Kominy Tylkowe' pasture — break the canopy here and there, hinting at the area's pastoral past.

• Dudowa Valley or Lejowa Valley — approach via the connecting ridge; check current maps for marked trail details; difficulty: moderate

• The peak lies within Tatra National Park (TPN) — an entry fee applies.
• Two caves are located on the slopes: Schron w Opalonym Pierwszy and Schron w Opalonym Drugi.

Wielki Opalony Wierch is a quietly fascinating example of how the Tatra wilderness is slowly reclaiming old shepherd pastures — the forest creeping in, season by season, over land that once rang with the bells of grazing sheep.