Location: 11.4 km north of Juodkrantė

One of the Curonian Spit’s highest peaks at 35 metres, Bear Head Dune offers a romantic viewpoint of the surrounding pine forests, the Curonian Lagoon to the west and the vastness of the Baltic Sea to the east.

The name was first mentioned in written archives at the end of the 19th century, when the local blacksmiths named the oddly shaped sand dune, reminiscent of a silhouette of a bear’s head.

Take a leisurely stroll up to the viewing platform, where you will be greeted by a classic Curonian landscape, which is especially spectacular at sunset.

On descent, explore the nearby Meškaduobė (Bear’s Hollow). In 1892 this historical site was home to reforestation workers, who tackled the relentless Curonian sand by planting vast areas of pines, and stayed in temporary barracks here until 1895. During later years this location was a post of forestry service, border control and housing for state workers.

The viewpoint is also reachable by car. It is also the most prominent spot to encounter the rejuvenation after the devastating forest fire of 2006: notice the proudest patches of younger new pines planted by generous groups of volunteers, rest your eyes on the panorama of Klaipėda city on the opposite edge of the lagoon and stop by the informational stands that tell the winding tales of the peninsular’s fascinating natural wonders. There is a local saying that humans possess an ancestral satisfaction of gazing at far fetching horizons - the thought of no visible danger for as far as your eye can see is a soothing, relaxing sensation.