Zlatý chlum, Křížový vrch and the Devil’s rocks viewpoints; a 9 km walk from Jeseník town

• Scattered among the Jeseníky mountains in northern Moravia are many dramatic rock formations, created from volcanic magma which penetrated the surrounding rock and solidified into layers of super hard granite. Over many millions of years the surrounding rock was eroded away leaving exposed towers and boulders that today are popular destinations for rock climbers. Some of the best rock formations also have simple chain protection to allow tourists to visit the tops, which often make excellent viewpoints.
• The Čertovy kameny (Devil’s rocks) , easily reached from the town of Jeseník are a fine destination for a relatively easy hike in the lower Jeseníky mountains. A trip to the rocks can be combined with a visit to the Zlatý chlum lookout tower on the nearby mountain of the same name (891m). The tower was finished in 1899 and there is a super view from the top (open daily in good weather during the summer, and at weekends in other periods).
• The circular return journey to Jeseník can be completed by visiting the Křížový vrch viewpoint, beside the picturesque St. Anna chapel, which is an important pilgrimage site. At the same spot is the welcoming Křížový Vrch hotel and restaurant, which is worth stopping at for refreshments. There is a parking area near the hotel which can also be used to shorten the trip if needed.
• The round trip from Jeseník town (which has a train station and good bus connections) is 9.1 km with 440m of ascent-descent. If starting from the Křížový vrch car park it is a 6.5 km round trip with 320 m of ascent-descent. The paths are mostly easy mountain or forest tracks. However, the scramble up to the viewpoint on the rocks is quite steep on ladders – see picture below (but is optional).

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• Starting at the Jeseník bus station, cross the river and then immediately turn left to walk alongside the river in the northwards direction
• After 700m reach the next bridge and turn right onto the YELLOW hiking trail which heads up towards the hills
• After 2.7 km reach the trail junction of Čertovy kameny. The rocks are 150m from the junction, along the BLUE trail which starts at the edge of the car park next to the restaurant
• Return back to the trail junction after visiting the rocks and take the BLUE trail in the direction of Zlatý chlum
• The trail rises moderately steeply through the woods to reach the viewing tower in 1 km
• From the tower, continue on the BLUE trail for 2.2 km to reach Křížový vrch viewpoint, restaurant and St Anna chapel
• From there, continue down to Jeseník village on the BLUE trail. The bus station is reached in 2 km