Karkonosze with Children - Easy Trails and Paths for Young Children
Preschooler in the Karkonosze Mountains
When a child has outgrown the carrier and wants to hike on their own, but their little legs have limited resources for now, and we don't want to discourage them from mountain hikes with too difficult trails, we have two options: take the cable car or go for a "regular forest walk":
Karkonosze: Cable Cars and Chairlifts to Szrenica and Śnieżka
In the Karkonosze Mountains, the most challenging hikes are those that lead to the ridge - usually at least 2 hours of more or less demanding climbing. If that's too much for us, we can shorten and make it easier to reach the most beautiful views in the Karkonosze Mountains by taking one of the cable cars: from Szklarska Poręba to Szrenica, from Karpacz to Kopa Pod Śnieżką, or from the Czech side: from Pec pod Snezkou to the summit of Śnieżka:
Easy
Cable car to the top of Śnieżka Peak
From the upper stations of the cable car, we start walking along the ridge in any direction we choose.
The paths are rocky but wide and fairly comfortable, with moderate slopes and inclines. The little ones will manage just fine, they will see the "great mountains", who knows: maybe they will fall in love with them at first sight, and this experience will turn into a passion for mountain hikes?
Easy
Chairlift to Szrenica - Śnieżne Kotły from Szrenica
Drawbacks of Taking the Cable Car to Szrenica and Śnieżka
This solution has its drawbacks - besides the obvious financial one (tickets for a family of several people can be quite expensive). During the season and on weekends, we may have to wait for a long time in the "line for the cable car". If we go to the mountains to admire the beauty of nature, enjoy peace and quiet, let's consider that the areas around the upper stations of the cable cars are crowded, sometimes even more than the main promenades in tourist resorts.
So maybe sometimes it's worth postponing the big peaks for later and take a walk on easier, forest paths completely on our own?
Forest Walk: Trails for Young Children in the Karkonosze Mountains
We can find a taste of mountain hiking with a forest path, a mountain stream, and even climbing under rocks on the trails leading to Chojnik Castle. Moreover, as a reward, we have an interesting hiking destination - medieval ruins, beautiful views (as if from a mountain peak), a castle buffet, and souvenirs:
Medium
Yellow route to Chojnik Castle
It is also a good idea to go for a "regular" forest walk. The network of trails below the main Karkonosze ridge is very rich, and you will surely find something for yourself near the place where you are staying.
There are also many attractions waiting here: "forest playgrounds", rocks for climbing, streams for throwing sticks and jumping on stones, and often beautiful viewpoints!
Here are easy trails for children near Karpacz:
Karpacz and surroundings - easy trails for children
Trails around Karpacz - easy walking paths for young children. No, not every stay in Karpacz has to be necessarily associated with climbing. ...
...and routes worth exploring with children in Szklarska Poręba:
Szklarska Poręba and its surroundings - easy routes and trails for children
The main ridge of the Karkonosze Mountains is an ambitious goal for little feet! Climbing steep paths can take about 1.5-2 hours even for adult hikers. ...
And maybe, once you get moving on the easy trails, you will feel like a more ambitious climb?
Check out the routes tab!
If you are looking for something even easier, for example, for a stroller or a bike trip, we have a few suggestions:
Karkonosze Mountains - Trails and Routes with a Stroller and a Bicycle
Going to the mountains with a stroller and a bicycle? The question seems absurd, especially when we are talking about the highest range of the Sudetes: the Karkonosze Mountains. ...
Ps. Are you planning your first mountain hike with children? We recommend our article with a compilation of the easiest mountain trails in different ranges of Polish mountains and foothills:
TOP 15: Easiest mountain trails for the first hikes with children in Poland
When our toddler outgrows the carrier and wants to hike on their own, we need to choose a trail that suits their abilities. The satisfaction of conquering their first summit will be invaluable and will remain in the child's memory... and the parents' memory too! ...
Publish Date: 2021-08-10