Magurka (872 m a.s.l.) – A Scenic Loop Trail from Sucha Beskidzka

Magurka (872 m a.s.l.) is a peak located on the edge of the Jałowiec Range in the Beskid Żywiecki mountains, and it serves as the highest point of one of the most beautiful towns in Lesser Poland – Sucha Beskidzka. Although there is no marked trail leading directly to the very top, it remains easily accessible via a wide, visible path. From Sucha Beskidzka, two marked routes—black and red—lead toward the peak area, specifically to the Przysłop hamlet. These two trails can be easily combined to create a short, leisurely loop. In this post, I will start with the black trail and return via the red one. Enjoy the journey!

Table of Contents

• The Ascent via the Black Trail
• Magurka (872 m a.s.l.) – The Summit
• Passing Through the Przysłop Hamlet
• Hiking the Oldest Beskid Trail
• Trip Map
• Bibliography

The Ascent via the Black Trail

I begin my trip to Magurka at the free parking lot on Słoneczna Street in Sucha Beskidzka (right next to the railway crossing; coordinates: 49.7381994N, 19.5722375E, elevation: 340 m a.s.l.). Two hiking trails depart from here: the green one towards Lipska Góra (and further on to Żurawnica, Czarna Góra, and Gibasówka) and the black one towards Zawoja. I cross the road and choose the second option, which follows the residential Zasypnica street. I continue on the asphalt for the next three kilometers. Along this distance, the terrain rises by about 200 meters, and the view is punctuated by occasional wooden houses, brick roadside shrines, and the inactive “Jędruś” ski lift.

After 3.5 kilometers of walking, at an elevation of about 600 m a.s.l., the black trail finally leaves the asphalt. For a moment, I walk on a dirt road and then suddenly turn right onto a forest path running up a steep slope. After a few minutes, I reach the Zasypnicka Niższa pass (approx. 690 m a.s.l.), which separates Magurka from the nearby Kamienna peak (744 m a.s.l.) and is located right next to the charming Kubasiaki hamlet. I continue the walk along a path through a vast meadow, offering views of the Magurka dome as well as the more distant peaks of the Beskid Makowski range.

I quietly pass a traditional roadside shrine only to disappear again into the embrace of a dense pine forest a moment later. The trail now leads along a wide path, climbing the western slope of Magurka. I gain elevation here quite efficiently due to the significant incline of the terrain. Magurka might seem unassuming, but you definitely have to work for this ascent…

Magurka (872 m a.s.l.) – The Summit

5 kilometers from leaving the parking lot in Sucha Beskidzka, I reach a distinct crossroads (approx. 810 m a.s.l.). Although the black trail leads to the right, I head left – onto an unmarked path leading to the very top of Magurka. I reach the destination after 400 meters, covering about 60 meters of denivellation. Conquering the peak of Magurka (872 m a.s.l.) takes me about 45 minutes (with the reservation that I run the asphalt part of the trip). A wooden sign informs me of reaching the summit, and a characteristic stone cairn stands nearby. Furthermore, right under the peak, there is a charming meadow offering pleasant views of the Polica range.

By the way, “Magurka” is a name of Vlach origin, commonly occurring throughout the entire arc of the Carpathians. The word simply means “a hill, mound, or domed mountain.”

Passing Through the Przysłop Hamlet

From Magurka, I descend back to the black trail. I continue through open terrain, enjoying the pleasant view of nearby peaks. In the foreground is Surzynówka (816 m a.s.l.), built up with the elegant “Beskidzki Raj” restaurant and a paid observation tower. On the left, the clear silhouette of Babia Góra (1,725 m a.s.l.) looms, along with another part of the Jałowiec Range with Kiczora (905 m a.s.l.) and Jałowiec (1,111 m a.s.l.).

A moment later, I step onto asphalt, amidst the buildings of the Przysłop hamlet, which constitutes the borderland of three villages: Zawoja, Grzechynia, and Stryszawa (though I am currently on the territory of the latter). The black trail turns left here, now joining the blue route (leading from the center of Stryszawa). I continue for 800 meters, losing about 90 meters of elevation difference and reaching the Spyrki hamlet.

Before I reach the next trail crossroads, I stop for a moment at yet another roadside shrine. It is a Marian figure that witnessed truly Dantean scenes on August 2, 1944. Along the road, there was the border between the Reich and the General Government, which was crossed by the “Garbnik” detachment of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) under the command of Czesław Świątecki, codename “Surma.” The soldiers were spotted by a German patrol but managed to escape, killing two enemy guards in the process. Furious Germans arrived at the Spyrki hamlet and lined up all its residents near the figure, threatening them with immediate execution. However, they did not carry out the threats, which the local highlanders interpreted as a sign of special protection by the Virgin Mary.

Hiking the Oldest Beskid Trail

Beyond the shrine is a crossroads where I turn left – onto the red trail. I thus leave Stryszawa, now following the border between Grzechynia (on my left) and Zawoja (on my right). The red trail leads along an asphalt road amidst modern buildings and impressive views of the Queen of the Beskids (Babia Góra) and the Polica range.

By the way, the route I chose is significant because it is the oldest Polish marked trail in the entire Western Beskids. The path was established in 1906, and its creator was Hugo Zapałowicz – the founder of the Babiogórski Branch of the Tatra Society in Maków Podhalański and the initiator of the mountain hut construction on Markowe Szczawiny. The trail connected Sucha Beskidzka with Zawoja, allowing expeditions to the Queen of the Beskids to begin immediately upon getting off the train. The trail is named after Marian Wnuk, another distinguished PTTK activist.

Half a kilometer past the crossroads, I turn left, leaving the “border zone.” I enter the buildings of Grzechynia, located on the eastern slopes of Magurka. In less than a kilometer, I reach an elevation of approx. 760 m a.s.l. again, and I swap the asphalt for a forest dirt road. I am now walking through the Grzechynia Forest, which once had the reputation of being a very dangerous place. Robbers used to lurk among the trees, attacking the residents of Zawoja who were heading to Sucha for markets, fairs, or indulgences.

I continue along the forest road for several minutes, passing through another scenic meadow and passing the turnoff of the blue trail to Maków Podhalański. Along the trail, I encounter fragments of concrete foundations, a souvenir of the Grenzschutz guardhouse that once stood here – the German border guard that patrolled the border between the Reich and the General Government.

I encounter the first buildings of Sucha Beskidzka at an elevation of about 650 m a.s.l. I descend along Podksięże Street and then Wiosenna Street. From the latter, I turn left – back onto a forest path. After a while, I emerge into a vast meadow with a view of the center of Sucha Beskidzka and nearby peaks – Lipska Góra (625 m a.s.l.) and Jasień (521 m a.s.l.). I continue the descent along a forest road that runs along the very edge of the forest. Be careful with navigation on this section, as there are many paths in the area, and the markings occasionally become unintuitive.

At an elevation of 390 m a.s.l., I pass by a cholera cemetery from 1847, where two thousand victims of the terrible epidemic were buried. Then I return to the asphalt, walking for a few minutes down Spółdzielców Street. In this way, I reach the main road near the railway station. Then I turn left, walk for about half a kilometer down Adama Mickiewicza street, and thus complete the loop. It was a great trip!

Date of the trip: March 1, 2026

Trip statistics: 14 km; 570 meters of elevation gain

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Trip Map

Bibliography

• Figiel S., Franczak P., Janicka-Krzywda U., Krzywda P., Beskid Żywiecki. Przewodnik, edition IV, Rewasz publishing house, Pruszków 2023,
• Information board by the Virgin Mary chapel in the Spyrki hamlet in Stryszawa.