The part lying in the Małopolskie voivodeship includes the surroundings of Klucze, Olkusz, Trzyciąż and Wolbrom. The name of the park comes from medieval fortified castles, which – erected during the times of Casimir the Great, on high rocks, hard to access – were designed to protect the border and important trade routes. Today, the ruins of the strongholds, e.g. in Rabsztyn, are a unique distinguishing feature of these areas. The Błędowska Desert is a great natural peculiarity of the part of the park lying in the Małpolska region, the only such area in Poland. Also known as the Polish Sahara, it is slowly overgrowing with plants, but the tracts of sand can still be seen from the side of Klucze. Beautiful landscapes with many calcareous outliers are the features offered by the little-known and yet most-loved Wodąca Valley. One of its attractions is called the Cavemen Trail, and during the hike you can climb onto the high complex of Clock Rocks (and use the viewing platform). The park comprises limestone monadnocks and caves, valuable forests (including beech) along with the priceless Jurassic landscape with its heritage – the famous ‘eagles’ nests’. The presence of precious species of orchid plants, including lady's-slipper, is quite characteristic for this area, along with plants that make up the xerothermic grasslands, rock and sand-based grasslands. The Biała Przemsza Valley is rich in reptiles: the green frog, the common frog, the common toad, the green toad and the natterjack toad, the European tree frog, the European fire-bellied toad, the smooth newt, the Northern crested newt and the Alpine newt. Among the invertebrate, there are many species of beetles, butterflies and dragonflies, as well as the European crayfish.