Suburban recreational forests in Košice began to be developed in 1960. The statute of Košice's Forest Park was issued based on decision No. 953/69 of the MsNV (city council) in Košice. The city grew and so did the pressure to extend the forest park's borders.
The most significant locations Košice'sForest Park
Situated in the valley of the Čermeľ Brook, starting at the end of the Baránok residential area and ending at Alpínka. The zone can be walked through using a network of foot paths and forest paths on both the left and right sides of the valley and by a children's railway that operates in the summer season. Click here for more information about the railway. The disadvantage of this valley is the frequently used road leading from Košice to Spiš. Accessibility and safety of the location for hikers and cyclists should be provided by the cycle route located between the state road, railway and the Čermeľ Brook, ending at Alpínka. Difficult ground conditions and ownership relations in the area slowed the implementation process down. The path currently ends behind the premises of Lesná správa Čermeľ (Čermeľ Forest Management). Apart from hiking and cycling, it is also possible to enjoy the area from the railway travelling in a steam engine. In addition, the location also offers the possibility of climbing on Rokodromo (a climbing training rock) and of picnicking in the “Areál zdravia” (“Health Area”), a meadow for sports and games).
The location offers conditions suitable for hiking and cycling. The reconstruction of aforest path has made it possible to go inline skating in the area as well. There is a 25 km-long cycling and foot path leading to Findoráková, Košická Belá from one side and to the end of Čermeľ Valley. Opposite the Children'sRailway, there is a 1.5 km-long “Educational path of Curious Mice” giving information about the forest to children of pre-school age and in their first four years of elementary school . There are also establishments offering refreshment in the area. A golf coursecovering 14 ha of meadows in the Čermeľ Brook floodplain is situated in the upper part of the location. Even though thisarea is attractive for a limited group of people , its aesthetic and landscape-enhancement function improves staysin the area.
People can get to this well-known location by city buses and through a network of footpaths starting at Baránok. It is also possible to reach the area from the Terasa and KVP residential areas. It is a starting point for cycle tours heading for Jahodná, Lajoška and KojšovskáHoľa. If you want to stay at Horný Bankov, you can relax at “Pod Starými Dubmi” (Under Old Oaks), which is a place suitable for families equipped with tables and benches. There is also the neo-gothic Assumption of the Virgin chapel located in the area, where Sunday masses are held. The footpaths leading to the location are connected to isolated picnic areas, where maintained meadows with gazebos and tables can be used by families and other groups. The area also offers mini-golf activities. Unfortunately, the area is not equipped with functional restaurant services.
Aroad used for hiking, cycling and inline skating. The road contains several rest areas with gazebos and tables, and along the road is the renovated Ján Nepomucký Chapel, with several fresh water streams close by. There is a newly established “forest education path” on the route offering visitors 7 stops with interesting information about forestry, the forest environment, and forest management.
An important location with much potential in terms of its accessibility and attractiveness for hikers and cyclists. The ruinsof Košice Castle built in the 13th century can be found in the area, along with a network of footpaths and rest stops. People can also enjoy a view of Košice and its wide surroundingsfrom the observation tower built in the area. When walking up the tower staircase you gradually get to see Košice, the Hornád Valley, and above all Čierna Hora and the Volovské Vrchy.
There are four educational paths established in the area, namely:
The importance of the location has been growing as it is close to the Kavečany Zoo.
The 3.5 km footpath and cycling track with rest areas is the most popular place for people from Dargovských Hrdinov residential area. Once the route is repaved it will be able to be used for inline skating. Through a network of paths, this paved roadis connected with the residential area and with another rest area called “Tri Kríže” (Three Crosses) equipped with spots for resting and barbecuing. The pavement is very often used for various sports activities organised by the Dargovských Hrdinov municipality and local schools.
This location is connected with the Ťahanovce residential area through a network of footpaths. There are gazebos and tables for people from the residential area to spend their time outdoors. A plan is in the works to build an 8 km cycling track that would be connected to the cycling track passing Košice's Crematorium and Zelený Dvor and ending at Furča.
This location of Košice's Forest Park is located 18 km from Košice. There are footpaths connecting this location with the rest of Košice's Forest Park areas and with a public road. The area is suitable for hiking activities in the summer and skiing and cross-country skiing in the winter. Jahodná is the starting point for hiking tracks leading to the wide area around Košice, namely to Kojšovska Hoľa (through Predná Holica), Sivec (thorugh Pokrivy) and Železná (located above Košická Belá). This is possible thanks to maintained forest paths and tracks of various surface finishing.
This location, forming part of an area for winter sports, is a starting point for Kavečany footpaths. In the summer, it is possible to hike and cycle there over the main ridge of the national forest reserve Vysoký Vrch or down to Čermeľ Valley. In the winter, the area offers maintained cross country skiing tracks (3 tracks of different length). Hiking in the area offers beautiful views of the Hornád and Torysa Valleys and of the High Tatras from Krížna Meadow.
In the field of passive communication, the Košice's Forest Park offers mainly the following:
Active communication with the public takes place during forestry days and takes the form of forestry teaching directly in the forest (Alpínka Area, educational footpaths, headquarters and forest district open houses organised mainly for pupils from elementary schools.
The history of Košice has been closely linked tothe extensive forests around it. The oldest references to the ownership of forest lands around the city date from the 13th century. For many years the economic use of these forests was connected with mining and metallurgy, practiced in the region of Košice. Košice's forest lands became the largest piece of city property in the Hungarian Kingdom. With its area of 19,432 ha, it is currently the second largest piece of forest property in Central Europe.
