Free viewpoints in Szklarska Poręba — a ready day plan

The waterfalls around Szklarska Poręba are ticketed, but the best panoramas are not. We run the Toy Exhibition in the centre and often put together a day like this for guests: several terraces and rock groups, short approaches and no ticket office on the way. Here is the version checked in September 2026, including what you do end up paying for.

Which viewpoints in Szklarska Poręba are free?

• Zakręt Śmierci (Death’s Bend) — a viewing platform built in 2020 above a near-180-degree hairpin on the Sudeten Road (regional road 358) at 775 m, looking over the Karkonosze, the town and the Jelenia Góra Valley. From the free car park for several dozen cars it is about a 5-minute walk.
• Złoty Widok — a free terrace above a rock cliff more than 20 metres high, opened in spring 2020 on a hill of 610 m, with wooden loungers and benches. About 250 m and 5 minutes from the car park on ul. Matejki.
• Krucze Skały (Raven Rocks) — two granite towers up to 30 metres above the Kamienna river (718 m) with a fenced viewpoint. About 390 m and 10 minutes from the free car park by St Maximilian Kolbe Church.
• Zbójeckie Skały — a town terrace shaped like a grand piano, looking towards Szrenica and Wielki Szyszak, and in the distance Mount Śnieżka and the Rudawy Janowickie. About 700 m and 25 minutes on the yellow trail from Szklarska Poręba Dolna station.
• Wysoki Kamień (1,058 m) — the highest point here, with a panorama of the Karkonosze, the Izera and Kaczawskie Mountains and the Rudawy Janowickie. There is a free viewpoint beside the mountain hut.
• Chybotek — not a terrace but a stop on the way: a granite boulder of about 4 metres that you can gently rock, a few minutes from Złoty Widok.
• Sowie Skały (Owl Rocks) — granite towers up to about 10 metres in the forest above the centre, by Sowiniec hill (675 m), free of charge. It is a climbing area, so do not climb the towers without equipment.

In the centre itself there is also the Skała Karczmarz terrace, a few minutes from the Tourist Information Centre at ul. Jedności Narodowej 1A — handy at the start of the day or between other plans.

What do you still pay for on a “free” day?

• Car parks. Parking is free at Zakręt Śmierci and by the church below Krucze Skały. The car park on ul. Matejki, the closest to Złoty Widok and Chybotek, is paid (machine, cash or card) and no official website publishes its rates — check them on site. Municipal car parks charge 1 PLN per half hour, 8 PLN for the first hour, 7 PLN for the second and third and 6 PLN for each further hour; machines take coins only, and you can pay in the MOBILET and City Park App apps. See parking in Szklarska Poręba.
• The stone tower on Wysoki Kamień. According to a visitor report from June 2026 there is a charge to climb it — but you get the panorama from the free viewpoint by the hut as well.
• The waterfalls. Szklarka Waterfall is inside Karkonosze National Park and covered by the park ticket (11 PLN standard, 5.50 PLN reduced), while the gorge at Kamieńczyk Waterfall has a separate fee of 16 PLN, or 8 PLN reduced. That is why they are not in this plan — we have a separate guide for them.

Which viewpoint should you choose?

Viewpoint	Walk	Parking	Entry
Zakręt Śmierci	about 5 minutes from the car park	free, several dozen spaces	free
Złoty Widok	about 250 m, 5 minutes from ul. Matejki	paid (rates only on the machine)	free
Chybotek	about 600 m, 10–15 minutes from ul. Matejki	as above	free
Krucze Skały	about 390 m, 10 minutes from the church	free by the church	free
Zbójeckie Skały	about 700 m and 25 minutes from Szklarska Poręba Dolna station (black trail about 1.3 km, 30 minutes)	most reliable start: Zakręt Śmierci, about 1.5 km away	free
Sowie Skały	blue trail from the centre	municipal car parks (paid)	free
Wysoki Kamień	about 3.1 km and 1 h 15 min on the yellow trail from Zakręt Śmierci	free at Zakręt Śmierci	summit and viewpoint free, tower paid

A ready-made free day of views

Time	What to do	Tip
9:30	Krucze Skały	Start low and close to the centre: about 10 minutes from the free car park by the church on ul. Mickiewicza. Allow about 30 minutes, or about 45 if you also want to see the rocks from the river side.
11:00	Chybotek and Złoty Widok	From the car park on ul. Matejki a relaxed walk to both takes about 45–60 minutes. At the fork remember: the blue trail turns left, but for the terrace you carry straight on, following the viewpoint signs.
13:00	Lunch in the centre	A good moment for a break — apart from Wysoki Kamień, none of these viewpoints has a snack bar.
14:30	Zbójeckie Skały	Easiest from Szklarska Poręba Dolna station: about 700 m and 25 minutes uphill on the yellow trail, or about 1.3 km and 30 minutes on the gentler black one.
16:00	Drive to Zakręt Śmierci	From the centre along ul. Granitowa, ul. Dworcowa and ul. Armii Krajowej towards Świeradów-Zdrój. The bend turns back on itself by almost 180 degrees — slow down in good time.
before sunset	The platform at Zakręt Śmierci	Parking is free, so waiting for the light costs nothing. Check the sunset time for your date — it gets dark in the mountains faster than you expect.

For strong walkers: instead of three short stops, climb Wysoki Kamień from Zakręt Śmierci on the yellow trail — about 3.1 km and 1 h 15 min up, about 6.2 km and 2–2.5 hours there and back. The town route “#nawycieczkę z widokami” links it all into a loop: 9.6 km and about 3.5 hours without breaks, from the centre on the red trail to Wysoki Kamień, then yellow via Zakręt Śmierci and Zbójeckie Skały to Szklarska Poręba Dolna station and back by train. The town rates it fine with a baby carrier and a dog, but not with a pushchair.

Where to watch the sunset?

We do not give sunset times, nor promise that the sun will set exactly over the panorama — check the time for your date and pick a viewpoint you can leave quickly. Zakręt Śmierci is the safest: the free car park is a few minutes from the platform. Krucze Skały and Złoty Widok are close to the road too, but forest paths lead to them, so take a head torch.

• The forest approaches are unlit, and after rain stones, roots and rocks can be slippery.
• The Złoty Widok terrace stands above a cliff, and Krucze Skały have railings only at the viewpoint — keep children close at dusk.
• These places are outside Karkonosze National Park, so the park’s access hours do not apply. If you plan an evening walk inside the park, remember you may hike there from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Can you do this day without a car?

Yes, in a different order. From Szklarska Poręba Górna station the red trail climbs straight to Wysoki Kamień (about 3 km, about 1 h 30 min), and from Szklarska Poręba Dolna station the yellow trail goes up to Zbójeckie Skały. Krucze Skały and Sowie Skały are walkable from the centre. Just remember that, according to the town notice of 31 August 2026, replacement buses run instead of trains from Jelenia Góra between 31 August and 24 October 2026 — check the timetable before you set off. Details in our guide Szklarska Poręba without a car.

Are these viewpoints good with children?

The best are Krucze Skały (short and close to the centre), the platform at Zakręt Śmierci (about 5 minutes from the car) and Chybotek, because a stone that moves usually fascinates children. The town route “#nawycieczkę z widokami” is marked as unsuitable for pushchairs but fine with a baby carrier, and we have not confirmed whether the terraces themselves are pushchair-accessible. Take care at Sowie Skały — it is a climbing area. More ideas: Szklarska Poręba with kids.

Are the trails to the viewpoints ever closed?

Yes, occasionally for forestry work. The yellow trail towards Zbójeckie Skały was closed from 13 January to 5 March 2026, and the yellow and black section towards Zakręt Śmierci from 3 March to 16 April 2026. Check the notices on the town tourism website (opens in a new tab) (in Polish) before you go.

See also: Szklarska Poręba without a car — the same day by rail, Szklarska Poręba waterfalls in one day and Szklarska Poręba on a rainy day.