DESCRIPTION

Established in 1981 on the area of 28.8 thousand ha, including 26.3 thousand ha of forest land. It covers three mountain groups of the Eastern Sudetes: the Massif of Śnieżnik, the Bialskie Mountains, the Złote Mountains.

The area covered by the Park is characteristic for incidence of diverse landscape types ranging from lowland intermontane basins through to old medium mountain landscapes, old river valleys, and the subalpine Śnieżnik summit zone. The central elevation and the highest peak is Śnieżnik (1425 above sea level). Mountain ridges radially branch off from Śnieżnik. Individual ridges are separated by deep-cut erosive valleys vesting the massif with an alpine character.

The summit dome of Śnieżnik is located above the top tree line and it is a fantastic panoramic point. In good weather it is possible to see the Karkonosze, the Massif of Ślęża, the Beskids, at night glimpsing city lights of Wroclaw and Prague. Śnieżnik was popular already at the end of the 18th century – outings to the top to admire sunrises were en vogue. In the years 1895-1899 a 33.5 meter tall panoramic stone tower in the form of a donjon was erected. After the war it was not secured and it fell in disrepair, finally found threateningwith collapse – it was demolished. Presently, attempts have been made to have it rebuilt.

„Śnieżnik Kłodzki” is a protected landscape area with the total area of 192.33 ha covering the summit dome of the elevation with the upper montane zone spruce forest, dwarf mountain pine, and other rare plant species characteristic of the alpine zone. Śnieżnik belongs to the most valuable natural assets of Polish mountains. Its wildlife is the richest in all of the Sudetes. It is due to the fact that boundaries of incidence of numerous Sudeten, Alpine, Carpathian, and Mediterranean species converge here – including deer, roe deer, wild boar, mouflon, chamois, badger, fox, marten, but also incidental sightings of bear and wolf have been recorded.