Krkonoše National Park Area

Address: Krkonoše National Park (KRNAP), Krkonoše Mountains, Hradec Králové Region, Czech Republic

Website: https://www.krnap.cz/en/

Hours: Open year-round

Admission: Free entry to the national park; some visitor centres/activities may charge

Krkonoše National Park (Krkonošský národní park) protects the highest section of the Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains on the Czech side of the Czech-Polish border. The park includes alpine ridges, glacial cirques and montane forests centered on the range’s highest peaks.

Trail networks and mountain huts provide access for hiking and winter sport; the ridge and summit trails attract hikers aiming for the highest point, Sněžka, which reaches 1,603 metres. Visitors come for panoramic mountain views, established long-distance trails and seasonal alpine flora and fauna.

The park was established to conserve the area’s distinctive alpine environment and has been managed through Czech national park frameworks since the mid 20th century. Conservation work focuses on protecting fragile alpine meadows, peatlands and endemic species.

Geographically the park lies in the north-eastern Czech Republic in the Hradec Králové Region along the border with Poland and is accessed from several mountain towns and resort villages along the foothills.

• Landscape: The Krkonoše mountains form a frontier range between the Czech Republic and Poland; the park protects alpine and subalpine habitats and major hiking routes including the ridge trail to Sněžka.

What to See#

• Sněžka: Sněžka - the highest summit in the Krkonoše range at 1,603 metres, forming the Czech-Polish border and a common end point for long-distance hikes within the park.

Krkonoše National Park is reached by road or public transport from nearby towns such as Vrchlabí, Trutnov or Špindlerův Mlýn. By car it’s roughly a 2-2.5 hour drive east from Prague (about 150 km) using the D11/E65 and local roads into the mountains. By public transport take a train from Prague to Vrchlabí or Trutnov and then a regional bus or taxi onward to park villages (Špindlerův Mlýn, Pec pod Sněžkou), where trailheads and visitor facilities are within short local bus or walking distance.

• Start hikes very early in summer to beat afternoon cloud and hikers on popular ridgelines such as those leading to Sněžka, and check weather forecasts before setting out because conditions change rapidly.
• Use Špindlerův Mlýn or Pec pod Sněžkou as practical bases-these towns give access to marked trails and lift/cable options that shorten ascents to the main ridges. Many hikers concentrate on Sněžka; take a lesser-used ridge or the valley boardwalks to experience quieter alpine meadows.
• Visit the mountain huts (boudy) along the trails for hot drinks and local food; they're useful resting points and often overlooked by day-trippers who only stick to the summit routes.