Dlouhé stráně – lower reservoir and the Divoká Desná valley

From the car park and bus stop by the bridge over the Divoká Desná along the blue-marked trail – a service asphalt road closed to cars – up the valley 4.5–4.8 km to the lower reservoir (on the way a side trip to the Borový vodopád waterfall, hairpin bends and orchids below the dam); the dam itself is off-limits, view from the combined outlet structure; back the same way; pushchair OK (just watch out for cyclists and scooter riders)

Destination

Lower reservoir of the pumped-storage power plant (825 m, dam 306 m long and 58 m high) and the head of the longest mountain valley in the Jeseníky below Zámčisko – on car-free tarmac, suitable for pushchairs too

1. By car from the cottage – Kouty n. D., car park by the bridge over the Divoká Desná (Kouty most trail junction, bus stop) 6,7 km · 12 min

   by train from Loučná n. D. station to Kouty (approx. 10 min) and 2.4 km along road 44 to the bridge (or by bus to the Kouty n. D., most stop); by car to the car park by the bridge 100 m before the hairpin bends up to ČHS

2. Along the tarmac road to the dam and back 9,6 km · 3 h · 220 m ↗
3. Dlouhé stráně – lower reservoir and the Divoká Desná valley 825 m n. m.

   

   websiteopening hours
4. Back to the cottage the same way

Tips

• Caution – power plant modernised in 2024–25 (840 million Kč), 30 years in operation in 2026; kudyznudy.cz: cycling banned on the loop around the upper reservoir from 2026
• By train or bus – From Loučná n. D. station by train to Kouty, and it's still 2.4 km along the road to the bridge – more convenient is the regular bus to the 'Kouty nad Desnou, most' stop right at the start of the tarmac road.
• No problem with a pushchair – All 4.5 km to the dam is smooth, car-free tarmac with a 220 m climb – an ideal pushchair outing; beyond the dam the blue trail heads off into rougher terrain.
• Back by scooter – At weekends (11–15:30) scooters are hired at the upper reservoir (450 Kč) – the fit walk up to the upper reservoir and ride the 17 km back down to Kouty past the lower reservoir.
• Borový Waterfall – A path branches off the blue-marked trail to the Borový vodopád, the highest waterfall in the Šumperk region – a short detour; the upper section is harder since the 2024 flood.
• A look inside – If you want to see the underground of the power plant too, book the ČEZ excursion (bus from Areál Kouty, year-round to the lower reservoir, 240 Kč) – booking online only, pay within 3 days.
• Opening hours – the valley and the reservoir surroundings are freely accessible; the dam and the power plant grounds are closed to the public; no entry by car (CHKO protected landscape area)
• Admission – free; ČEZ guided tours (only with online booking at dlouhe-strane.cz, bus from Areál Kouty): lower reservoir tour year-round at 11, 12 and 14 h – 240 Kč, children/students/seniors 200 Kč, under 5 90 Kč; with the upper reservoir May–October at 10 and 13 h – 340/300/105 Kč; specialist tours (9 May–3 Oct 2026, 9:00) 400 Kč
• Parking – car park by the bridge over the Divoká Desná (Kouty most signpost, 606 m, by the bus stop) – 4.5 km to the reservoir; or the paid Areál Kouty car park (6.2 km to the reservoir)
• Shuttle bus – stop Loučná n. D., Kouty n. D., most (Šumperk – Jeseník lines via Červenohorské sedlo)
• Restrictions – cyclists and scooter riders use the tarmac road (17 km descent from the upper reservoir) – keep children at the edge; beyond the reservoir the blue-marked trail turns off the road after approx. 0.5 km into Divoký důl – rough terrain, not for pushchairs; no access to the dam of the lower reservoir