Karancs-Medves Landscape Protection Area, Landscape park in Nógrád County, Hungary.

Karancs-Medves Landscape Protection Area is a protected zone featuring forests, rolling hills, and exposed rock formations scattered throughout. The region comprises two distinct geological sections with different stone types and terrain shapes.

The protected area was designated in 1989 and placed under the Bükk National Park Directorate. At that time it absorbed earlier nature conservation areas including Salgó Castle, Szilvás-kő, Kercseg Valley, Földház-tető, Gortva Valley, Bárna Creek and the Zagyva headwaters. Its 6,709 hectares, of which 447 are strictly protected, preserve basalt cones and plateaus formed by volcanic activity in several phases.

Castles perched on basalt cones like Salgó demonstrate how early settlers used the landscape to establish control and visibility. These structures remain central to how people understand and perceive the region today.

Marked hiking trails wind through the area and are maintained by nature conservation staff, while cycling is restricted to designated routes. Visitors should wear proper footwear and prepare for elevation changes on the paths.

The Medves plateau ranks among Central Europe's largest basalt formations, with its internal structure revealed through former mining and quarrying activities. These excavations expose the layers and composition that make up this geological feature.