A natural barrier between Poland and the Czech Republic, the Karkonosze mountains rise starkly beyond the hill country of the southern Sudeten. The park covers some 5 575ha. Forests of spruce, maple and lime trees give way as the height increases to pine trees, which in turn give way to moorland with areas of peat bog. The summit of Mount Sniezka (1 603m) is a barren rocky expanse.