Kudremukh National Park

Kudremukh National Park is a protected area in the Western Ghats spread across Chikkamagaluru, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka, centered at Kudremukh town. Declared a national park in 1987, it covers about 600 sq km of evergreen shola forests and rolling grasslands. Named after the horse-face shaped Kudremukh Peak, it is noted for rich biodiversity, endemic flora and fauna, and scenic trekking trails within the Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage cluster.

Visitors can expect a landscape of mist-covered hills, dense evergreen and shola forests interspersed with grassy meadows, streams and waterfalls. The park is accessed via forest check posts with permitted trekking routes, notably the Kudremukh Peak trek. Wildlife sightings may include lion-tailed macaques, Malabar giant squirrels, deer and diverse birds. Facilities are basic and forest-oriented, with guided treks, viewpoints and nature trails rather than developed safari infrastructure.

Declared as a national park in 1987 covering about 600.32 sq km to protect the Western Ghats evergreen forests and grasslands. The area was historically known for iron ore mining by Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited, which was later phased out from the park area for conservation. The name Kudremukh derives from Kannada meaning horse-face, referring to the distinctive shape of the peak.

The name Kudremukh meaning horse-face in Kannada reflects local geographic folklore associated with the peak's shape. The park lies in the culturally significant Malnad region of the Western Ghats, revered for its forested hills, streams and traditional hill communities, and is valued for nature-based pilgrimage and eco-tourism.