Červená hora (Góry Kamienne)

Červená hora is a modest, largely forested summit in the Central Sudetes, on the Czech side of the Kamienne Mountains (Góry Kamienne), within their eastern section known as the Suché hory or Góry Suche (Javoří hory). It rises to 746 metres above sea level near the village of Šonov, right by the Polish border, close to Broumov and Tłumaczów. The name is one of the most common mountain names in Czechia, so it's easy to confuse this particular summit with the other peaks called Červená hora scattered across the country.

Where exactly is this mountain?

Červená hora sits on a secondary ridge that branches off the peak of Leszczyniec and runs southwest through Červená hora and Bobří vrch to Dlouhý vrch. The summit itself lies only a few dozen metres from the main border ridge of the Suché hory, which separates the Czech and Polish sides of the range. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Šonov in the Náchod district; the nearest larger town on the Czech side is Broumov, while on the Polish side it's Radków, next to the village of Tłumaczów.

How high is it, and what is it made of?

The summit reaches 746 metres above sea level. Geologically it consists of Permian volcanic rocks — quartz porphyries (trachytes) — belonging to the northeastern flank of the Intra-Sudetic Basin. This volcanic-sedimentary composition is typical of the Kamienne Mountains, whose hard, weather-resistant rocks form the dramatic rock formations and cliffs the wider region is known for.

What does the landscape and vegetation look like?

The slopes and summit are covered mainly by lower-montane spruce forest, in places mixed with beech and sycamore maple. Because the top is wooded, views from the summit itself are limited, but the surrounding Suché hory and neighbouring Broumov region are famous for jagged rocky ridges and deep valleys typical of this part of the Central Sudetes. The southwestern, Czech part of the massif lies within the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area (CHKO Broumovsko), which safeguards the region's distinctive sandstone and volcanic rock landscapes.

Which trails lead through the area?

A green-marked trail follows the state border here, connecting Tłumaczów with the Okraj Pass (Przełęcz Okraj). On the Czech side, a blue-marked trail crosses directly over the summit, linking Meziměstí with Broumov. Both routes make it easy to combine a visit to Červená hora with a longer ridge hike across the Suché hory, for instance toward Ruprechtický Špičák or on to the Broumovské stěny rock town.

Frequently asked questions

Is Červená hora a popular hiking destination? It functions more as a waypoint on longer ridge hikes than as a standalone goal — the summit is forested and offers no sweeping panorama, but it sits on an attractive border stretch of the Suché hory trail network.

Is this the same Červená hora as the one in the Jeseníky mountains? No. The name is extremely common in Czechia — separate peaks called Červená hora exist in the Jeseníky range (1,333 m) and in the Nízký Jeseník range (749 m). The summit described here lies in the Central Sudetes, in the Kamienne Mountains, right on the Polish-Czech border near Šonov.

Where can visitors find accommodation nearby? The closest bases are Broumov on the Czech side and Radków with Tłumaczów on the Polish side — both offer lodging and make a convenient starting point for hikes through the Suché hory and the Broumov region.

Is the summit within a protected area? Yes, the Czech part of the massif falls within the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area, which also includes the region's famous sandstone rock towns.