MAIN RULES OF THE KRKONOŠE NATIONAL PARK

Guide for responsible visitors.

The Krkonoše National Park (KRNAP) is a unique and valuable jewel of Czech nature. Its fragile ecosystem requires respect and protection so that future generations can also enjoy its beauty. To ensure protection and at the same time allow visitors to explore this national park, there are several rules that must be followed.

 

Quiet areas: Respect for the heart of the Krkonoše Mountains

One of the most important rules is the prohibition of entry outside marked trails in the quiet areas of KRNAP. These quiet areas, of which there are eight in total, are located in the ridge areas of the Krkonoše Mountains, mainly above the upper forest line. Their purpose is to protect the most vulnerable biotopes and species from excessive and uncontrolled visitor traffic.

 

How can you tell that you are in a quiet zone? Quiet zones are marked in two ways in the terrain:

 

Red stripes on trees: Two horizontal red stripes. The upper stripe goes around the entire trunk, the lower one only halfway. If you see a tree marked with two stripes, you are on a marked trail and everything is fine. If you see only one stripe, you are in a quiet zone and must leave immediately.

Enamel signs on posts: On trails passing through quiet areas.

 

The most problematic places include the summit of Sněžka and the saddle near the former Obří bouda. Due to repeated violations of this rule, the KRNAP Administration is forced to install protective nets that separate the area for visitors from the wilderness. A similar situation prevails at the Pančavský vodopád waterfall viewpoint, where visitors do not respect the designated area and climb onto the granite rocks.

 

Take what you bring with you: A rule that applies to everyone

This rule should apply not only in national parks, but everywhere in nature. Waste decomposes very slowly in nature. A paper tissue takes four weeks to decompose, a plastic bag 25 years, and a PET bottle as long as 100 years. In the mountains, where nature is particularly vulnerable, it is therefore especially important that we take all our waste with us. Plastic and metal food packaging, paper and wet wipes, and unfortunately also face masks and respirators, do not belong in nature. Let's be responsible and treat nature with respect.

 

Motor vehicles and cycling: Let's respect the rules for movement

The entry of motor vehicles into the KRNAP territory is regulated by the Nature and Landscape Protection Act. The law precisely defines who is allowed to enter the national park and under what conditions. Those authorized include members of the integrated rescue system, police, network administrators and operators, property owners and tenants, and some accommodated guests. Entry into quiet areas is even more restricted and is not permitted even for accommodated guests.

The same applies to cycling. Cyclists may only use designated cycle paths in the national park. KRNAP offers 461.5 km of marked cycle paths. When cycling, it is important to follow the basic rules of safe riding, especially when going downhill, to be considerate of other visitors, and to maintain a reasonable speed.

 

Drones: Flying prohibited to protect animals

Flying drones is prohibited throughout the KRNAP. The reason for this is to avoid disturbing nesting birds and other animals. The noise and presence of drones can negatively affect their natural behavior and reproduction.

 

Dogs in KRNAP: Consideration and control are key

Czechs are dog lovers and often take them with them into nature. In the Czech part of KRNAP, it is mandatory to have your dog under clear control. On the Polish side, the rules are stricter – dogs must always be on a leash and wear a muzzle in the national park. Not everyone likes dogs, and some people are even afraid of them. Parents are particularly sensitive when it comes to children. Dogs can also be a problem in and around pastures, where they should always be on a leash to prevent them from running into fences.

 

Stone pyramids: Beauty in nature, not in artificial structures

Another problem is the stone pyramids built by tourists on stone seas or in riverbeds. In the Krkonoše tundra, the cycle of freezing and thawing of the soil has been going on for tens of thousands of years. As a result, the stones in the soil and on its surface have arranged themselves into polygons and other unique shapes that are unique to the Krkonoše Mountains. By building stone pyramids, visitors are destroying this rare phenomenon. Similar activities also affect the beds of Krkonoše streams and rivers. Many aquatic animals that are part of the national park's fauna live under the stones in the river. By building cairns from river stones, visitors are destroying the homes of these animals.

 

Let's respect the Krkonoše Mountains so that we can continue to admire them

By following these rules, we protect the unique nature of the Krkonoše National Park and ensure that future generations will also be able to enjoy it.

Let's be responsible visitors, treat nature with respect, and follow the rules.