Knurowska Przełęcz (832 m a.s.l.) is a broad mountain pass in the Gorce range of southern Poland — and a rather special one at that. It holds the distinction of being the only driveable pass through the Gorce mountains on the north-south axis, making it both a practical crossing point and a fantastic trailhead for hikers heading towards Turbacz or Lubań.
The pass sits in a wide, gentle saddle separating the Turbacz ridge from the Lubań range. A winding asphalt road crosses it, with the village of Ochotnica Górna to the north and Knurów to the south. The landscape here is wonderfully varied across the seasons — lush alpine meadows in summer, a blaze of colour in autumn, and a quiet, snow-dusted stillness in winter. Keep an eye out for Diphasiastrum issleri, a rare clubmoss species found in this area and seldom seen elsewhere in Poland.
How to reach the passThe road crossing the pass was originally built during the Austrian partition era for military purposes — a solid piece of 19th-century engineering that still connects these mountain communities today.