Ojców National Park

Ojców National Park is Poland's smallest national park – just 21.46 km² – and one of its most varied. It lies about 16 km north of Kraków and protects the Jurassic Prądnik Valley with its limestone crags, caves, beech woods and two castles. In a single day you can see Hercules' Club, the Kraków Gate, Łokietek Cave and the Renaissance castle at Pieskowa Skała.

The park in numbers

The park was established on 14 January 1956 as the sixth national park in the country. It covers the middle part of the Prądnik Valley and part of the Sąspów Valley on the Olkusz Upland, across the municipalities of Skała, Jerzmanowice-Przeginia, Wielka Wieś and Sułoszowa. Its symbol is the bat – 17 of the 25 bat species found in Poland live in its caves. The caves were also used by prehistoric people, and in the Middle Ages castles guarded the valleys on the route from Kraków to Silesia.

What to see

• Hercules' Club (Maczuga Herkulesa) – a limestone pillar that narrows towards its base, just below Pieskowa Skała Castle.
• Pieskowa Skała Castle – a late Renaissance residence with an arcaded courtyard.
• Ojców Castle ruins – the gate and tower of a stronghold from the time of Casimir the Great, overlooking the valley.
• Kraków Gate (Brama Krakowska) – two rocks forming a natural gateway in the Prądnik Valley.
• Łokietek Cave – the park's most popular cave, linked to the legend of King Władysław the Elbow-high hiding here.
• Dark Cave (Jaskinia Ciemna) – an important archaeological site, open seasonally.
• Chapel "on the Water" – a wooden chapel built over the Prądnik stream.

Trails

Marked footpaths in the park total 46.6 km, though some sections overlap. The easiest is the red Eagles' Nests Trail along the valley floor from Ojców to Pieskowa Skała – gentle and good for families. For the core sights (Ojców Castle, Kraków Gate, Łokietek Cave) allow 4–5 hours; with Pieskowa Skała and Hercules' Club, plan a full day.

Tripto tips

Entry to the park itself is free; you pay only for individual sites. Prices: Łokietek Cave PLN 30 (reduced PLN 21), Ojców Castle PLN 22 / 15, the Nature Exhibition with 3D film PLN 20 / 14, Dark Cave PLN 20 / 14, Prądnik Valley Heritage Centre PLN 15 / 10. In October 2026 Łokietek Cave is open daily until last entry at 16:30, Ojców Castle until 15:30 on weekdays and 16:30 at weekends, and the Nature Exhibition Monday to Saturday until 15:00 (last entries). Pieskowa Skała Castle has its own hours and tickets.

The park's car parks in Ojców and Pieskowa Skała cost PLN 10 and the one at Złota Góra PLN 8 per car. On sunny weekends they fill up before noon and queues form at Łokietek Cave – come early. The valley is loveliest in May and October, when the beeches change colour. Wear proper shoes: the valley floor is flat, but paths to the caves and the Kraków Gate can be steep and rocky.