Scenic walkways have leveled-up as of December 2015, when Czech architecture firm Fránek Architects debuted their extreme Sky Walk on a peak in the Krkonoše Mountains.
High atop one of Dolní Morava's famed peaks sits a looping strutcture that looks more like a space-age roller coaster than scenic walkway. Offering panoramic views of the Morava river valley and the rest of the surrounding mountain range, the year-round adventure resort set out to add a little something extra to the experience of sticking one's head in the clouds.
Accessible by chairlift from the resort's Marcelka chalet, visitors ascend to a total of 3,600 feet above sea level to the top of Mount Králický Sněžník, where Sky Walk awaits. Despite its daunting appearance and precarious location, the Sky Walk's wooden tiers were specifically designed to be easy to climb; thanks to its stair-less construction, Sky Walk is equally accessible to those visitors on foot as folks pushing strollers or in wheelchairs.
After taking in all the nature one can handle at the peak of its 180-foot viewpoint, the best parts of Sky Walk still await exploration. Really big, brave kids and adults alike have a couple daredevil options at their disposal. Rather than boasting one of those trendy glass-bottom platforms that seem prone to breaking, Sky Walk went with a mesh web strung inside its highest loop, where the bold can actually lay among the clouds and mountain air. For those who prefer the feeling of brisk movement over floating, designers included a 328-foot polished metal slide (technically a helter-skelter) through the heart of the beast.
Should hovering in mid-air or dropping a total of 18 stories isn't your idea of a good time, fear not – taking the traditional route down Sky Walk's smooth plane is a viable option… though if you're honest with yourself, you'll likely spend the rest of your life thinking about your missed connection with that slide.
The full impact of Sky Walk ends up being akin to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure nature experience, where visitors can dial back the thrill level to suit their individual preference. We're excited to see what walkway designers come up with next to top that.