Beskydy Protected Landscape Area

Beskydy Protected Landscape Area is a mountain nature reserve featuring steep slopes covered in dense forests, deep valleys, and flowing mountain streams. The terrain rises and falls across the landscape, creating a varied topography that supports different types of plants and animals at different elevations.

The area became a protected landscape in 1973 to preserve the natural mountain environment of the Western Carpathians. This decision marked a shift toward keeping the mountains and their forests in their natural state for the future.

Wooden churches and traditional stone houses scattered through mountain villages show how people adapted to the rugged terrain over centuries. The way locals maintain these settlements reflects their deep connection to the land and its rhythms.

The area is accessible from towns at its edges through a network of marked trails suited to different skill levels. Depending on the season, visitors can hike in warmer months or ski in winter, with early planning helping to match activities to current conditions.

The mountains are home to one of Europe's few regions where bears, wolves, and lynx roam freely and move naturally between countries. This cross-border wildlife movement is rare and shows how these large predators still need wild spaces to survive.