Polonyna Rivna is one of the wildest and least-visited ridges in the Polonyna Beskids of Ukrainian Zakarpattia. Its broad, gently rolling crest covered in alpine meadows offers a sense of openness and solitude that is increasingly rare in the Carpathians.

The range stretches roughly 15 kilometres between the Uzh river valley to the northwest and the Vycha valley to the southeast. The northern slopes drop steeply through dense beech forests, while the southern flanks slope gently down, carved by numerous mountain streams. Above 1,200 metres the trees give way to wide-open polonyny — vast grassy ridges with sweeping views across to the neighbouring Borzhava and Vyhorlat ranges. The atmosphere up here is extraordinary: just wind, silence and an endless green horizon.

• Rivna (1,482 m) — the highest peak in the range, a broad polonyna summit with panoramic views over all of Zakarpattia
• Vysokyi Verkh (1,413 m) — a scenic companion summit just beside Rivna
• Lutanska Holytsia (1,374 m) — a distinctive top in the central section of the ridge
• Abandoned Soviet military base — eerie rocket launch installations and barracks sitting surreally among the alpine meadows on the summit plateau

• Best time: June–September — meadows are lush and trails accessible; autumn brings spectacular golden beech colours
• Base towns: Uzhhorod or Mukacheve; smaller villages in the Uzh valley also work well
• Trail difficulty: moderate — long approaches through forest but no technical challenges; a concrete track also allows car access to the summit
• Getting there: best by car via Uzhhorod or Mukacheve, then local roads into the valleys; local buses reach nearby villages

One curious fact: the Soviet-era rocket base on the summit plateau is still largely intact — a truly bizarre sight among the wildflowers, and one of the more unusual things you will find on any Carpathian hike.