Giant Mountains National Park (Polish: Karkonoski Park Narodowy) is a national park located in the Giant Mountains of the Sudetes, in southwestern Poland, next to the Czech Republic.
The park is in the Lower Silesian region, in the highest part of the Sudetes. It was established in 1959 and covers an area of 55.10 square kilometers. Today, the park is slightly larger, at 55.76 square kilometers (21.53 square miles). Of this area, 17.18 square kilometers is strictly protected, meaning human activity is limited there. Most of the park, about 33.80 square kilometers, is covered by forests. In 1992, Karkonosze National Park, along with the nearby Czech Krkonoše National Park, became part of the Krkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. Additionally, 40 hectares of peat bogs in the park were designated as a Ramsar international wetland site.
Geography
The Giant Mountains are the highest part of the larger Sudetes mountain range, which stretches from southwestern Poland across the northern border of the Czech Republic to eastern Germany. The tallest peak in the range is Śnieżka, which reaches 1,602 meters (5,256 feet) above sea level. It forms a triangle with another nearby peak called Śnieżnik, which is 1,424 meters (4,672 feet) high, and a third peak named Ślęża, which is farther away. A red hiking trail connects these areas, but it is only for experienced hikers. The landscape is known for glacial kettles—circular depressions filled with boulders and hidden ponds. Weathered granite rocks that look like mushrooms or maces are also found on the mountain slopes.
The Giant Mountains lie between the drainage areas of two major rivers, the Elbe and the Oder. This means the mountains also separate the water basins of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Many streams flow down the hills, creating waterfalls. The largest waterfall in the Polish part of the mountains is 300 meters high and is formed by the Łomniczka stream.
The park is home to about 100 different bird species, which are the most numerous group of animals there. Fewer bird species live at higher elevations, with only 10 varieties found near the peaks. At lower levels, there are 100 types. The park also has four fish species, six amphibian species, and five reptile species. A special attraction is the mouflon, a type of wild sheep introduced to the area in the early 1900s.
Karkonosze National Park receives more than 1.5 million visitors each year. Visitors can use 112 kilometers of walking trails, 10 ski lifts, and 12 guest houses. The park’s main office is located in the town of Jelenia Góra.
Gallery
- Strzecha Akademicka Refuge
- Kamieńczyk Falls
- Snowy Pits
- Czeska Kładka
- Mugo Pine
- Samotnia Refuge
- Śnieżka
- Mały Staw
- Czarny Kocioł Jagniątkowski