Eastern Beskids

The Eastern Beskids are a mountain range in the Outer Eastern Carpathians that extends through parts of Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine; the Slovak portion lies in the Prešov Region and comprises forested ridges and highland plateaus. The range is significant for its forested landscapes and mountain biodiversity.

Trail networks and protected zones attract hikers, wildlife watchers and cross-border trekkers. Features include ridge walks, forested valleys and a network of minor roads and footpaths that link small villages and mountain shelters.

The Beskids formed as part of the Carpathian orogeny and have long supported pastoralism, forestry and small rural settlements; in recent decades conservation and tourism have increased across the region with the establishment of national and regional protected areas.

Geographically the Eastern Beskids in Slovakia sit in the country’s far east, close to the borders with Poland and Ukraine, and are characterised by rounded forested summits and deep forested valleys.

• Cross-border range: The range is part of the Outer Eastern Carpathians and spans national borders, so many routes and protected areas connect into neighbouring Poland and Ukraine.
• Forest cover: Large areas are covered by mature beech and mixed forests, making the area important for biodiversity and for long-distance hiking and backcountry routes.

What to See #

• Poloniny National Park: A protected park in the extreme east of Slovakia that conserves dense beech and mixed mountain forests, with trails that provide access to remote ridge and valley landscapes.