Pieniny National Park (Poland) Park

Address: Pieniński Park Narodowy, Poland (park spans parts of the Pieniny; main visitor centres in Szczawnica and Krościenko)

Website: https://www.pieninynationalpark.pl/

Hours: Park open year-round; specific trails and services may have seasonal hours

Admission: Park entrance free; Dunajec River rafting and some guided activities have fees (varies by operator)

Pieniny National Park (Poland) is a compact mountain park in southern Poland protecting the distinctive limestone ridges and river gorge of the Pieniny range. The park is known for steep limestone cliffs, mixed beech and fir forest, and the scenic Dunajec River gorge.

Visitors come primarily for the Dunajec Gorge and its river trips, compact hiking trails that access panoramic viewpoints, and the Trzy Korony (Three Crowns) massif which offers prominent lookouts over the valley. The park’s terrain is relatively small in area but highly scenic, with many short marked trails and viewpoints concentrated near river and ridge features.

The park was established to protect the Pieniny landscape and its flora and fauna and has been managed as a national park since the early 20th century. Conservation efforts focus on preserving the limestone ecosystems, traditional cultural landscapes and visitor access points.

The park lies along Poland’s southern border with Slovakia in the Pieniny mountains, reachable by road from the nearby towns of Szczawnica and Krościenko in Lesser Poland Voivodeship.

• Rafting season: Rafting on the Dunajec River is a main visitor activity; commercial raft trips run seasonally from towns such as Szczawnica and Krościenko.

What to See#

• Dunajec Gorge: Dunajec Gorge - a narrow river canyon carved in limestone famous for scenic wooden raft trips that run along the river between border towns on the Poland-Slovakia frontier.
• Trzy Korony (Three Crowns): Trzy Korony massif - the most visited viewpoint in the park, offering panoramic views over the Pieniny range and the Dunajec valley from its rocky peaks.

The park is best accessed from the towns of Szczawnica or Krościenko nad Dunajcem in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Regular buses serve both towns from Nowy Targ and Kraków; from Szczawnica take local transport or walk to the Dunajec embarkation points. Cross-border trails link to Slovakia at several points.

• Don't miss the classic wooden raft trip on the Dunajec Gorge - book with a licensed local outfitter in Szczawnica or Sromowce.
• Hike the Three Crowns (Trzy Korony) peak early morning to avoid crowds and catch far-reaching views across the Carpathians.
• Wear crampons or gaiters in spring when trails can be muddy and icy.