The Appeal of the Luban Ridge

The ridge is perfectly visible from the Pieniny Mountains, the Beskid Mountains, and even the Tatra Mountains. It is famous for its magnificent views of the Tatra Mountains and the neighboring mountain ranges, which are especially impressive in the early morning when mists rise above the nearby Czorsztyn Reservoir.

The Observation Tower on Luban

The tower was built between 2014 and 2015 as part of the project “An Enclave for Active Recreation in the Heart of the Gorce Mountains – Hiking, Cycling, and Skiing Trails in the Municipality of Ochotnica Dolna,” which was co-financed by the European Union. The wooden structure has a total height of 30 meters and features an observation deck at a height of 20.70 meters above ground level. A staircase with 138 steps and resting platforms every 8 steps leads to the observation deck.

The Flora of the Ridge

The forests covering the ridge are mainly lower montane Carpathian beech forests, as well as beech-fir forests with an admixture of sycamore and ash. Remnants of upper montane primeval forest have survived only on the summit of Luban. Small enclaves of larch forests have also been preserved, and one of them has been designated as the Modrzewie Nature Reserve. The flora of the Luban Ridge differs slightly from the flora of the rest of the Gorce Mountains. This is due to the warmer and drier microclimate. Among the rare plant species in Poland, the Luban Ridge is home to lilac-leaved buckthorn and black hawthorn.