The Kudremukh or Horse Face Range is situated 95 Kms southwest of Chickmagalur
town. The broad hills which overlook the Arabian Sea are chained to one
another with deep valleys and steep precipices and is so named because
of the unique shape of the Kudremukh peak which has the highest elevation
at 1892 metres. The park named after the peak, extends over three districts,
Dakshin Kannada (South Kanara), Chickmaglur and parts of Udupi and stretches
between Narasimha Parvatha (in Sringeri Taluk) in the north to the Jamalabad
Fort (in Belthangady Taluk) in the south. The park is divided into four
ranges Kudremukh, Kerekatte, Kalsa, Shimoga.
The park with an area of 600.32 sq.kms is 1,894.3 meters
above sea level and is rich in iron ore deposits. Country’s largest
iron ore mining company, Kudremukh Iron Ore Company (KIOCL) is situated
within the park area. The park is cool and salubrious round the year,
but during monsoon from June to September, there is heavy rainfall. The
best time to visit the park is immediately after the monsoon ie, October
to May when the forests are lush green. To watch the wild animals best
time to visit is between December and February.
There is a wide variety of flora and fauna in the park.
The park is covered with thick hilly forests, mostly
evergreen and semi-evergreen near the coastal plains on the western
portion; and the shoal–grassland habitat
at elevations above 1400m on the Western
Ghats. Plantations of Eucalyptus, Casuarina,
Acacia auriculiformis and Grevillea robusta are found here. The park is
surrounded by Coffee and Tea plantations on the northern and eastern boundaries.
The wild animals seen in the park include tiger, leopard,
wild dog, jackal, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, sloth bear, gaur,
sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying
squirrel, porcupine and the mongoose.
 The
park is particularly rich in the diversity of birds. Approximately 195
types of birds are found in the park. This includes rare birds like
the Malabar trogon, great pied hornbill, Malabar whistling thrush and
the imperial pigeon.
Trekking is another interesting thing can be done in
Kudremukh. One has to obtain an entry permit for trekking inside the park
from the Range Officers or Deputy Conservator of Forests. The whole scenery
of lush green grassland interspersed with narrow strips of forests rivers,
cascades, variety of flora and fauna, caves, ruins and traces of old civilizations
provide a fantastic vista for a trekker. There are 13 trekking routes
inside the park and the anti - poaching camps (APC) on the way are useful
as camping sites. The Bhagavathi Nature Camp located along the state highway,
also forms an excellent camping site with tented cottages and dormitory.
Ganga Moola, the source of several rivers including Bhadra, located inside
the park is a scenic spot in the Bhagawathi Forest for trekkers. The
Kadambi falls and the Lakya Dam located near the Kudremukh project area
is another interesting spot in the Kudremukh range.
The park is quite rich in water resources. The famous
Tunga, Bhadra and Netravati rivers flows through the park. Apart from
these, there are numerous seasonal streams. The Park also has in
its vicinity pilgrimage centers like Sringeri, Ganga Moola and Annapurneshwari
Temple, which makes this place a favorite among tourists.
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Wildlife 
