Little Beskids Landscape Park

Little Beskids Landscape Park (Park Krajobrazowy Beskidu Małego, roughly "PAHRK krah-yo-brah-ZOH-vee BES-kee-doo MAH-weh-go") is a quiet mountain park in southern Poland, between the towns of Bielsko-Biała, Żywiec and Wadowice. Gentle forested ridges, the viewpoint summit of Czupel and the blue Lake Międzybrodzkie make it one of the best things to do for a low-key hiking day, far from the crowds of the Tatras. It is an easy escape from Kraków or Katowice.

Where it is and how to get there

The park lies on the border of the Silesian and Lesser Poland voivodeships, in the Western Beskids. Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, is a convenient base on the Kraków side, and Bielsko-Biała is the gateway city on the Katowice side. Public transport reaches villages such as Czernichów and Międzybrodzie, but a car gives you more freedom. Parking is available near most popular trailheads; arrive early on sunny weekends. Check a route planner for current driving times from Kraków or Katowice, since roadworks change them.

What makes it special

The park was created on June 16, 1998 and covers about 257.7 square kilometers (around 100 square miles). The range is some 35 km long, and the Soła River valley splits it into a western part (Magurka Wilkowicka and Czupel) and a larger eastern part. The geology is mostly Godula sandstone, which forms rock outcrops and small caves.

Over 840 vascular plant species have been recorded, including many protected orchids, and beech forest dominates. Lynx and wolf are rare visitors. The region is also tied to Pope John Paul II, who hiked in these hills in his youth.

What to see and do

• Czupel – the highest summit, listed at about 930 m (sources vary between 930 and 933 m). The top is open after storm damage and logging, and on clear days you can see Babia Góra, Pilsko and even the Tatras. It is part of the Crown of Polish Mountains.
• Lake Międzybrodzkie – a reservoir on the Soła built in 1937, about 3.8 square kilometers in area and 5 km long, with holiday villages along its shores.
• Żar Mountain (761 m) – a popular lookout above the lake with a pumped-storage power plant.
• Nature reserves – Szeroka, Zasolnica and Madohora.
• Hiking – the Little Beskids Trail (Mały Szlak Beskidzki) runs from Straconka near Bielsko-Biała across Żar to Zembrzyce. Mountain huts operate along the ridge, including one on Magurka Wilkowicka.

Allow 2–3 hours for a short walk, or a full day for Czupel and back. Is it worth visiting? Yes, if you want gentle scenery and quiet trails rather than dramatic alpine terrain. Trail signs are mostly in Polish, so download an offline map.

Practical information (as of October 2026)

The park is open year-round, with no gates and no entry ticket for hiking. Prices for any cable car, hut or parking are set by their operators, in Polish zloty (PLN), so check them before you go. The park administration (Zespół Parków Krajobrazowych Województwa Śląskiego) can be reached at biurozpk@zpk.com.pl or +48 32 267 44 82. Expect rain and fog: annual precipitation is 800 to 1,400 mm.

Nearby

Combine the park with the Dusica waterfall, the caves of the Little Beskids, the Żywiec Landscape Park, or a visit to Wadowice.