Bear Cave Nature Reserve

The Bear Cave Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia) covers the Bear Cave and the karst phenomena surrounding it in the Śnieżnik Massif, in the Eastern Sudetes, about 2.5 km south of Kletno in the Stronie Śląskie municipality.

What the reserve protects and since when

The reserve was created in 1977 by order of the Minister of Forestry and Wood Industry, around the Bear Cave and the karst phenomena next to it. It is classified as a reserve of inanimate nature, of the geological and soil type. The subject of protection is the cave's dripstone formations, finds of Pleistocene animal bones and karst phenomena, as well as rare protected species and natural plant communities in the surrounding area.

Area

The original area of the reserve was 89.05 ha. On 2 January 2023 the protected area was enlarged to 233.4 ha.

The cave itself

The reserve covers the area around the Bear Cave, open to visitors as a separate guided tourist route. The cave itself and its interior have a separate description on the portal; here the text concerns the protected area around it.

Practical information

• Location: Śnieżnik Massif, Eastern Sudetes, Stronie Śląskie municipality, Kłodzko County
• A yellow tourist trail runs through the reserve
• Entry into the cave itself is possible only as part of an organised guided visit, regardless of the reserve's grounds