Bukowe Berdo

Bukowe Berdo is a mountain massif and a summit of 1,311 m in the Western Bieszczady, inside Bieszczady National Park. The massif is an elongated ridge running north-west to south-east with three tops: 1,201 m (Szołtynia), 1,238 m (Połonina Dźwiniacka) and the highest, 1,311 m, which is the one called Bukowe Berdo (some guides also call it Połonina Dźwiniacka). A shallow pass links it with Krzemień, so Bukowe Berdo forms the north-western wing of the Tarnica and Halicz group. The nearest villages are Muczne (about 4 km) and Wołosate and Tarnawa Niżna (about 5 km).

The massif is known for its many sandstone crags along the ridge. Its upper parts are covered by mountain meadow whose lower edge lies at about 1,150 m. The south-western slope drops straight into the Terebowiec valley, while the northern and north-eastern sides break up into spurs – Obnoga (1,081 m), Grandysowa Czuba (1,026 m) and Muczne (861 m).

Getting there / trails

• The blue trail (the Rzeszów–Grybów route, Otryt – Wołosate section) follows the ridge, bypassing the 1,238 m top. From Pszczeliny (Widełki) to the 1,311 m summit takes about 3 h 45 min, from Krzemień only 20 min. Pszczeliny has one of the park's entry points with a pay point.
• The yellow trail from Muczne meets the blue one north-west of the 1,201 m top: about 1 h 15 min to there, then roughly another hour on the blue trail to the 1,311 m summit. Muczne also has a park entry point.

Bukowe Berdo combines well with Tarnica: from Bukowe Berdo the blue trail via Krzemień reaches the pass below Tarnica in about 1 h 40 min, and a short yellow spur leads from there to the top of Tarnica. Leaving the trails to visit tops they do not cross is prohibited.

The view from the summit

The mountain, and especially its highest top, offers a wide view to the north and east – above all over the Ukrainian part of the Bieszczady beyond the San valley. To the south-east Krzemień and Tarnica rise close by, and to the west, across the Terebowiec valley, Połonina Caryńska can be seen.

Nature and history

The ridge below Połonina Dźwiniacka is densely overgrown with a shrubby form of rowan – a striking sight in autumn when its red berries ripen. The flora is interesting, with several very rare species: the East Carpathian vetchling, broad-leaved bellflower, Dacian sedge, rock sedge and thyme broomrape.

The sandstone crags on the ridge are outcrops of flysch, the layered sedimentary rock that builds the Bieszczady; they are well seen along the path. Forest on the lower slopes and meadows on the ridge together make up the typical Bieszczady landscape protected by the national park.

Safety, season and rules

The Bukowe Berdo ridge is open: there is no shelter from wind, storms or fog, and the blue trail here is long – over three and a half hours from Pszczeliny to the summit. In summer set out early; in autumn allow for the short day: night walking is prohibited in the park, so you must be down by sunset.

The summit lies within Bieszczady National Park. Under the park rules in force since 14 April 2026, entry to the trails is charged all year: a ticket costs 11 zł (reduced 5.5 zł, children under 7 free), is sold at the pay points by the trailheads or online, and is valid on all park trails on the same day. Walking is allowed on marked trails only and only between sunrise and sunset – night hiking is prohibited. Dogs are not allowed on the trails (except a few short sections, on a lead and muzzled); flying drones and leaving litter are also banned.

The Bieszczady are covered by the Bieszczady Group of the mountain rescue service GOPR (station in Ustrzyki Górne): call 985 or +48 601 100 300, or the general number 112; installing the «Ratunek» app is recommended. In winter the park advises reporting longer planned routes to the GOPR station in Ustrzyki Górne.

The Bukowe Berdo połonina

The summit part of the Bukowe Berdo massif is covered by a połonina (high mountain meadow): its lower edge lies at about 1,150 m, and it runs along the ridge over the summits of Szołtynia (1,201 m), Połonina Dźwiniacka (1,238 m) and the highest point (1,311 m). Numerous sandstone outcrops rise among the grass. Below Połonina Dźwiniacka the ridge is densely covered by a shrubby form of rowan – especially striking in autumn, when its red berries ripen. The flora is rich in rare species: the East Carpathian vetchling, the giant bellflower, Dacian sedge, rock sedge and thyme broomrape grow here. From the połonina, especially from the highest summit, there is a wide view to the north and east – mostly onto the Ukrainian side of the Carpathians. The blue Otryt – Wołosate trail follows the ridge.

Photos: Zyxist, CC0; Hanc Tomasz, CC BY-SA 3.0; ŁukaszWu, CC BY-SA 4.0; Hanc Tomasz, CC BY-SA 3.0; Hanc Tomasz, CC BY-SA 3.0; Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.