Karkonosze National Park in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-25. Check linked official notices before travel.

Karkonosze National Park is the Polish national park on the northern side of the Karkonosze Mountains in Lower Silesia. Its marked routes reach exposed ridges, glacial landforms, forests, and waterfalls. Choose between the Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba approaches before planning your walk; they are different gateways into a mountain range shared with Czechia.

High ridges and waterfall visits

• Śnieżka: the highest summit of the Karkonosze and Sudetes is an exposed mountain objective. Its steep rocky shape comes from its geology, not a former volcano.
• Śnieżne Kotły: these glacial hollows give the high ridge a sharply different landscape from the forest below. Keep well back from their edges.
• Waterfalls: Szklarka and Kamieńczyk provide distinct lower-elevation destinations. Access to the Kamieńczyk gorge has a separate fee.

Costs and mountain access

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Wind and exposed terrain

Upper routes can have snow and ice while the towns below remain milder. Strong wind also makes forest travel hazardous because branches and trees can fall. Plan a lower alternative or postpone the walk when conditions exceed your experience. At Śnieżne Kotły, the cliff edge is a fall hazard, not a place to approach for a closer photograph.

Use the permitted trail network

Remain on marked routes and leave the ground beyond them for wildlife. Dogs may use only permitted trails, on a leash; carry a muzzle for situations that require it. The Kamieńczyk gorge and several other routes prohibit dogs. Check the park’s dog-route guidance rather than applying one rule to the entire network.

Guides and overnight arrangements

Organized hiking groups need an authorized Sudetes mountain guide and may not exceed 50 participants. Overnight stays belong in mountain shelters; camping in the park is prohibited. Arrange shelter accommodation separately from admission. The visitor rules also explain permission requirements for special activities.

Plan from a Polish gateway

Karpacz serves approaches on the Śnieżka side. Szklarska Poręba serves the Szrenica and Kamieńczyk side. The park also has lower protected areas near Jelenia Góra and Piechowice. Use the official map to select a trail and its current seasonal course. The headquarters in Sobieszów is an administrative and educational base, not the start of every mountain route.

Nearby parks

• Rudawski Park Krajobrazowy: its Rudawy Janowickie area lies toward Kowary and Janowice Wielkie, offering a separate road-based outing.
• Krkonoše National Park: Czech trail bases include Harrachov and Pec pod Sněžkou. Reaching them by road means driving around the mountain ridge; Czech visitor rules apply there.

Choose a mountain or lower-level day

Select a ridge walk when the forecast and your equipment support it. Choose a waterfall route or a park education center for a different visit. These options are not interchangeable in time or difficulty: a lower attraction does not make the high ridge accessible in the same weather.

Shelters and education centers

Mountain shelters provide designated overnight options. The park lists education facilities in Sobieszów, Karpacz, and Szklarska Poręba. Some ticket points have seasonal toilets, including an adapted toilet at Orlinek during spring through fall. Check the chosen facility’s arrangements when mobility access is essential.

A Polish park within a shared mountain range

Protection since 1959

Karkonoski Park Narodowy was established on January 16, 1959. The Czech Krkonoše National Park followed in 1963. The two authorities protect adjoining parts of the range, but their tickets and visitor rules are separate.

Forests and vegetation belts

Beech woods, spruce forests, and higher vegetation zones form different habitats along the mountain slopes. Some forests have been heavily changed by people, and restoration is part of the park’s work. Keeping to the trail protects more than the scenery visible from a viewpoint.

Contact Karkonoski Park Narodowy

Headquarters: ul. Cieplicka 196, 58-570 Jelenia Góra, Poland. Phone: +48 75 755 33 48. Email: [email protected]. Consult the official park website for maps and individual education-center information.