The Karkonosze National Park (Karkonoski Park Narodowy) is a National Park in the Karkonosze Mountains in the Sudetes in southwestern Poland, along the border with the Czech Republic.
The park is located in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in the highest part of the Sudetes.
The natural values of the Karkonosze Mountains, i.e. their geological structure, perfectly visible elements of the post-glacial relief, flora and fauna, resulted in the position of the nature protection commissioner in the Karkonosze Mountains as early as 1910, and in 1927 the mountain guard was appointed.
In 1933, the first nature reserves were created in the Karkonosze Mountains, covering post-glacial cirques and many natural monuments, mainly rocks.
The Karkonosze National Park was established by the regulation of the Council of Ministers of January 16, 1959 on the area of 5510 ha. In 1996, the area of the park was increased to 5,578 ha.
In 1992, the Karkonosze National Park together with the Czech Krkonošský národní park became part of the UNESCO Karkonosze/Krkonoše (MAB) Border Biosphere Reserve with an area of over 60,000 hectares. ha.
On September 10, 2010 in Szklarska Poręba, during the conference "Geodiversity of the Karkonosze Mountains for the development of the region", the Chief National Geologist, Henryk Jacek Jezierski, signed the granting of the status of the National Geopark to the area of the Karkonosze National Park along with its buffer zone (otulina).
On January 1, 2016, the Park was enlarged by 371.11 ha and its total area is now 5,951.42 ha.
The highest peak of the Karkonosze and Sudetes. Śnieżka has a specific climate, similar to that we have in the Arctic Circle. Śnieżka is a place where you can observe meteorological phenomena rarely found elsewhere, such as ognie św. Elma, widmo Brockenu, czy Glorię.
Szklarki Waterfall is the second largest waterfall in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains - its height is 13 m. Waterfall is surrounded by beautiful beech forest. There is a hostel "Kochanówka" right next to the waterfall.
Śnieżne Kotły are two twin glacial cirques cutting into the northern slope of the main ridge of the Karkonosze between Wielki Szyszak (1509 m above sea level) and Łabski Szzczyt (1472 m above sea level). Located further to the west, Mały Śnieżny Kocioł is deeper, but the height of the rock walls is much lower than in Wielki Śnieżny Kocioł, where they reach 120 m. On the edge of the Wielki Śnieżny Kociaoł, there are a number of viewpoints from which you can admire extraordinary panoramas
It is located away from the crowded tourist routes. The upper edge of the cauldron reaches 1325 m above sea level, and its bottom is at an altitude of 1130-1150 m above sea level. The presence of granite rock walls gives this place a high mountain character.
A fragment of the bottom of the couldron you will find Jaworowa Łąka. Its name comes from an old clone growing in this place. Every summer you can admire the blooming mountain arnica there.
Pilgrims are three rock formations, visible from almost anywhere in the Karkonosze Mountains, They rise above the surrounding area for 25 m and are located in the eastern part of the Silesian Ridge at an altitude of 1204 m above sea level.
It is a glacial lake located at an altitude of 1183 m above sea level. Its greatest depth is 7.3 m, and the length of the shoreline is 756 m. It is a flow-through lake, frozen for a large part of the year. There is a famous shelter there - Samotnia.
Szrenica (1362 m above sea level) is a clearly dominant peak over Szklarska Poręba, the top of which is located above the upper limit of the forest and is an excellent sightseeing point. At the top of Szrenica there is a shelter building, which dates back to 1921-22. Szrenica is crowded in summer and winter and is one of the most popular ski areas in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains. On the slopes of Szrenica there are picturesque rock groups: Końskie Łby and Trzy Świnki.
The Łomniczka river, creates a series of picturesque cascades - Łomniczka waterfalls. Below the waterfalls, a small shelter was built in 1902, but it was not opened because it was destroyed by a snow avalanche. Reconstruction was not undertaken. In 1994 a mud avalanche descended again. In 1986, in the upper part of the Łomniczka Cascades, a symbolic cemetery of mountain victims was established.
It is reminiscent of the subarctic tundra. The reminder of that period are the post-glacial relics found. The bog is located on the plateau of Równia pod Śnieżką, at an altitude of 1400-1425 m above sea level. The rivers Úpa and the White Elbe have their sources here.
It is a unique place in terms of nature and therefore it is in the area of strict protection of the Karkonosze National Park.
For more information vistit Karkonosze National Park Webstite.