For Beskid enthusiasts, Babia Góra is more than just another peak. It is a Mother, watching over all her children from a considerable height. It is a Queen, beautifully visible from the vast majority of peaks within a 100 km radius. Finally, it is a Capricious Lady, constantly surprising hikers with weather conditions and teaching humility to anyone who believes that the truly mountainous climate in Poland exists only in the Tatra Mountains. Since my passion for mountains began in the Beskids, Babia Góra holds a special place in my heart. As I write this post, I have visited the Queen eleven times – in sunshine and fog, in heat and snowstorms, in a light breeze and in a real gale. In this post, I will focus on the classic loop from the Krowiarki Pass, which is the most popular way to explore the Babia Góra massif.
Table of Contents
Babia Góra – General Information
- Babia Góra rises to 1,725 m above sea level. It is the highest peak of the Żywiec Beskid, the entire range of Polish Beskids, and the highest mountain in Poland outside the Tatras. It is also called Diablak, and sometimes Capricious Lady.
- Babia Góra is the only Polish Beskid where all vegetation zones occur: lower forest belt, upper forest belt, dwarf mountain pine, and alpine zone.
- The most popular starting point for trips to Babia Góra is the Krowiarki Pass. The pass separates the Babia Góra massif from the Policy Range and administratively separates Zawoja from Zubrzyca Górna. There are two paid parking lots at the pass: one at the pass itself, the other 100 m below on the Zubrzyca side. The winding Voivodeship Road No. 957 runs through Krowiarki.
- The loop from Krowiarki Pass involves ascending via the red ridge trail (part of the Main Beskid Trail) and descending through Brona Pass to the PTTK Markowe Szczawiny shelter. From the shelter, the blue trail leads back to Krowiarki Pass, completing the loop.
- The unique flora and fauna of the Babia Góra massif have been protected since 1954 within Babia Góra National Park. The park’s headquarters is located in Zawoja, and its symbol is the stag’s horn lichen. Babia Góra National Park is also listed as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
- The entrance fee to the national park is 5 PLN (reduced) and 10 PLN (standard). Due to nature protection, dogs are not allowed to climb Babia Góra from the Polish side.
- Babia Góra offers a vast panorama of more than twenty surrounding mountain ranges. For this reason, the Queen of the Beskids is considered one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Poland (and perhaps even in Europe).
- Diablak is renowned as one of the best places to watch the sunrise in the Polish mountains. And rightly so – when the weather is good, the view of the fiery ball rising above the Tatras is truly spectacular. It has been known for quite some time – in 1912, the sunrise on Babia Góra was reportedly admired by none other than Vladimir Lenin.
- Finally, Babia Góra has its own exceptionally capricious microclimate. Weather conditions change rapidly and often become less favorable for mountain tourism. Regardless of the season, expect strong gusts of wind at the summit. Hike Diablak with humility, always carrying warmer clothes and a rain jacket in your backpack.
- In my own experience, out of eleven ascents of Babia Góra, I had perfect visibility only three times. And believe me, I always check the weather before setting out! An illustration of Babia Góra’s microclimate was a trip I took with Martyna on a beautiful summer day in 2023. We called it a “Beskid grind,” and our goal was to reach Babia Góra directly from our grandparents’ home (in Kuków, Stryszawa municipality). We covered over 50 kilometers, spending most of the day in full sun and perfect visibility. It was cloudy and cold for only a few kilometers… guess where? Of course, on Babia Góra’s main ridge :-). I must admit, at some point, I started romanticizing Babia Góra’s unpredictability. You know… She’s a capricious Queen whose mood you can never fully predict…
- Babia Góra is undoubtedly one of the most visited peaks in Poland. Expect the trails to be fairly crowded, especially on weekends.
Trip Description
We arrive at the famous Krowiarki Pass (1,012 m a.s.l.) a few minutes before 8 a.m. Thanks to the asphalt road completed at the end of the 1960s, this remains the best-connected point in the Polish Beskids. The pass’s name comes, as you might guess, from the cows that were once grazed here. The ticket office of Babia Góra National Park is not yet open, so we purchase entrance tickets online. My companion today is Ada, for whom this will be her first visit to the Queen of the Beskids.
At the pass, we take the red trail running along the main ridge of the Babia Góra massif. The path is wide, comfortable, and, despite recent snowfall, very well-trodden. Many sections are reinforced with wooden beams, forming shallow steps. The first stage of the hike is the ascent to Sokolica (1,367 m a.s.l.). This is the most physically demanding part of today’s trek, as you gain 350 meters in elevation over 1.5 km. The trail passes through dense upper-forest trees. The walk is very pleasant, especially since the fresh snow on the spruce trees looks charming today. As we gain elevation, the panorama of the nearby Policy Range occasionally opens up on the right.
About an hour after leaving Krowiarki Pass, we reach the terrace at Sokolica (1,367 m a.s.l.). In good visibility, it offers arguably the most beautiful panorama of Babia Góra. Unfortunately, today Sokolica greets us with full fog. Fortunately, waiting about three minutes is enough for the clouds to completely disperse, revealing the massif in all its glory. Oh, Queen, how beautiful you are…
Above Sokolica, the terrain becomes much gentler, and the upper forest gradually gives way to dwarf mountain pine. After about 800 meters, we pass Kępa (1,521 m a.s.l.), another flattened ridge. With good visibility, you can see the Tatras on the left side. Today we are not that lucky, but the morning sunlight makes the snowy dwarf pines look magnificent. The path remains well-trodden all the way to the summit. In winter, crampons are recommended for safety and comfort. In summer, the trail is relatively narrow, making it difficult to pass slower hikers, but it is carefully laid out.
The section between Kępa and the summit of Babia Góra is much gentler. Over a little more than two kilometers, there is only a 200-meter elevation gain. At around 1600 m above sea level, the last patches of mountain pine disappear, opening up to the spacious alpine meadows. In this way, we reach the summit of Gówniak (1,617 m a.s.l.), whose name comes from what was left there by oxen that used to graze in the area. If this explanation embarrasses anyone, they can use the alternative name for this elevation: Wołowe Skałki.
Between Gówniak and the summit of Babia Góra, there are two more minor elevations – Mały Garb Niżny (1,660 m a.s.l.) and Mały Garb Wyżni (1,675 m a.s.l.). Both play tricks on weary hikers, who, thinking they are reaching the summit, must painfully adjust to the reality. In winter conditions, the correct trail path here is marked by poles driven into the ground. The most impressive thing here is the vast space that stretches out in almost every direction.
With good visibility, from the entire ridge of Babia Góra there is a stunning view of the Tatra Mountains. Since today a massive cloud obscured the highest mountains in Poland, I am adding a few photos from my previous winter trip to Diablak – at sunrise. Enjoy the view, there is plenty to see :D.
We reach the summit of Babia Góra at 10:30, about 2.5 hours after leaving Krowiarki Pass. Unfortunately, the views today are obscured by a massive cloud. Nevertheless, with good visibility from Diablak, one can see almost everything: to the southeast, the Tatras; to the southwest, the Low Tatras, Choč Mountains, Orava Magura, Veľká Fatra, Malá Fatra, and Orava Reservoir; to the west, the remaining ranges of the Żywiec Beskids – Mędralowa range, Pilsko group, Romanka and Lipowski Wierch groups, and the Wielka Racza group, as well as the entire Silesian Beskid range; to the north, the Jałowiec range and the whole ridge of the Little Beskid; to the northeast, the Policy range and numerous peaks of the Maków Beskid; to the east, the Island Beskid and Gorce. Quite a lot, isn’t it?
At the very summit, there is a distinctive wall, placed here for protection against the frequently cold wind. Additionally, the peak of the Queen of the Beskids is rich in other memorabilia. There you can find, among others, a plaque commemorating the pontificate of John Paul II and an obelisk recalling the visit of Archduke Joseph of Habsburg to Babia Góra in 1806.
The cold, lack of views, and strong wind quickly drive us off the summit today. We continue along the red trail, descending toward Brona Pass. The start of the descent requires caution, as we must pass the so-called Zejszner’s Slabs – a group of large boulders in the western part of Diablak’s dome. The place was named after the distinguished 19th-century naturalist Ludwik Zejszner, who noticed and carefully described these rocks. On this section, the trail follows the Polish-Slovak border for about two kilometers.
We now descend via the Middle Ridge, ending at the shallow Lodowa Pass (1,611 m a.s.l.). We consistently follow a well-trodden path, and the stakes driven into the ground help with orientation. Today, visibility is decent, but believe me – in fog, these inconspicuous stakes are invaluable. In summer, this section is traversed along a carefully laid path. After passing Lodowa Pass, we continue along the Kościółki Ridge (1,615 m a.s.l.). Here, the trail runs close to a significant cliff – the gully of Kamienna Dolinka.
At around 1,500 m a.s.l., we re-enter the mountain pine zone, and just minutes later we reach the famous Brona Pass (1,408 m a.s.l.), which separates Babia Góra from Mała Babia Góra. The name of the pass was created in 1925 by Kazimierz Sosnowski and in Old Polish means “gate” (once a route led here from Zawoja to Półgóra). At Brona Pass, there is a viewpoint that offers a panorama of Zawoja’s buildings and the nearby Jałowiec range in good weather.
At Brona Pass, the red trail turns right toward the PTTK Markowe Szczawiny shelter. The slope here is steep – over just one kilometer, we lose nearly 250 meters in elevation. In summer, the descent is via stone steps, but in winter sliding on your pants is much more fun. This method is so popular that on the steeper sections, a sort of groove is formed. Since early March greeted us with an unexpected return of winter in the mountains, there is plenty of snow and the descent is really enjoyable. In these circumstances, the mountain pine zone gradually disappears, and we return to the upper montane forest.
At PTTK Markowe Szczawiny shelter (1,180 m a.s.l.), we arrive at about 11:40. Here, we take a longer break, unpacking all the snacks from our backpacks. A bit of history: the first tourist traffic organization on Babia Góra was done by Germans from the Beskidenverein. They marked the first trails at the end of the 19th century and even opened a shelter in 1905, located on the southern slopes of Babia Góra at 1,616 m a.s.l. The German presence was strongly opposed by Hugo Zapałowicz, a distinguished naturalist and Diablak enthusiast. Thanks to him, in 1905 the Babia Góra branch of the Tatra Society was established in Maków Podhalański, and in 1906 the first Polish shelter in the western Beskids was built and consecrated – at Markowe Szczawiny. Unlike the German facility, our shelter still stands proudly, bearing the name of its founder.
We return to Krowiarki Pass along the blue trail, called the Upper Trail (Górny Płaj). This is an old horse path, built in 1883 for hunting purposes when the Habsburgs of Żywiec managed Zawoja. The blue trail from the shelter to the pass traverses the southern slopes of Babia Góra for about 6.5 km through dense forest at the boundary of the upper and lower montane zones. To be honest, the Upper Trail is not the most attractive part of the route – it’s flat, monotonous, and completely without views. Choose a talkative companion for this section (or run through it).
Shortly before Krowiarki Pass, we visit the small Mokry Stawek (approx. 1,025 m a.s.l.), the largest landslide lake in the Babia Góra area. It covers about 4.5 ares and is inhabited, among others, by Carpathian newts. A path was recently added here, connecting the pond with the blue trail. Today the pond is completely frozen, and someone even made a beautiful angel on its surface.
A few minutes after leaving Mokry Stawek, we arrive back at Krowiarki Pass. The weather has worsened considerably, so we happily pack into the car and head back to our beloved Kraków. That concludes another visit to the Queen of the Beskids. Even though I know the loop from Krowiarki Pass inside out, I am certain I will return to it dozens of times…
Trip Date: March 1, 2025
Trip Statistics: 14 km, 730 meters elevation gain
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Trip Map
References
- Figiel S., Franczak P., Janicka-Krzywda U., Krzywda P., Beskid Żywiecki. Przewodnik, 4th edition, Rewasz Publishing, Pruszków 2023.
- Krygowski W., Zarys dziejów polskiej turystyki górskiej, Sport i Turystyka Publishing, Warsaw 1973.
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