Established in 1950 around the Łysogóry ridge, the Świętokrzyski National Park is the smallest of Poland's national parks (76 km²) but one of the most distinctive. It protects the central spine of the Holy Cross Mountains, a worn-down range of Cambrian quartzite that is among the oldest mountains in Europe. The forest is dominated by tall, dark fir — the so-called Świętokrzyska Puszcza — with stretches of beech and oak on the lower slopes.
The headline trail is the red route along the main ridge, from Nowa Słupia at the eastern end past the Święty Krzyż monastery, over Łysica (612 m, the highest peak), and down to Święta Katarzyna in the west — about 18 km, six hours, well-marked, no technical difficulty. Shorter loops from Święta Katarzyna or from the visitor centre at Święty Krzyż give a taste in two or three hours. The park entrance fee is small. Avoid weekends in summer when the trails get busy.