Mędralowa (1,169 m a.s.l.) is a stunning peak in the Żywiec Beskids (more precisely, in the Mędralowa Range, stretching from the Glinne Pass in Korbielów to the Jałowiecka Północna Pass below Mała Babia Góra). At the summit, there is a vast mountain meadow (hala) offering idyllic views to the north and the possibility of staying overnight in a former shepherd’s hut. The peak is not among the most popular options in the Żywiec Beskids, which allows for a blissful moment of respite in the lap of nature without large crowds.
The best starting points for trips to Mędralowa are Koszarawa (Żywiec County) and Zawoja (Suski County). In both cases, the shortest routes are about 4 kilometers long with a 400-meter elevation gain, which makes the peak quite accessible to the average hiker. Furthermore, the large number of trails in the vicinity of Mędralowa allows for the construction of several interesting loops with varying levels of intensity. In this entry, I will present several possible variations – both the longer and more demanding ones. I cordially invite you!
Table of Contents
- Mędralowa – loop from Koszarawa-Bystra
- Mędralowa – long loop from the center of Koszarawa
- Mędralowa – loop from Zawoja-Czatoża
- Bibliography
Mędralowa – loop from Koszarawa-Bystra
Start from the Bystra settlement
Bystra is one of the highest-located parts of Koszarawa, a picturesque village in the Żywiec county. The settlement’s buildings stretch along the valley of the stream of the same name and are about 5 kilometers away from the town center. During our trip, we park at a large and free parking lot (coordinates: 49.6306447N, 19.4593683E, map link). Two tourist trails depart from the square. The first is marked in blue and, leading along an asphalt road, reaches the Klekociny Pass (894 m a.s.l.). The second is a yellow trail, which leads through the forest to the main ridge of the Żywiec Beskids near the Mędralowa Zachodnia peak. The second mentioned variant is quite steep (there is 360 meters of elevation gain to be done here in the first 2 kilometers), but at the same time, it is the fastest way from the Koszarawa-Bystra settlement to Mędralowa.
We, however, decide to use yet another variant – a longer one, but one that seems more interesting. We walk back 400 meters (heading from the parking lot back toward the town center), and then turn into the local street Do Jałowca. For a long while, we walk along an asphalt road, marked from time to time with strange green squares (with a white border). I have seen similar symbols in other parts of the Koszarawa municipality, so I suspect that laying out this route is some local marking intention.
Green trail from Bystra (or what’s left of it)
For a kilometer, we walk along an asphalt road, reaching another one of the beautiful, yet somewhat isolated settlements. After passing the last of the houses, the surface changes to gravel, and the roads branch out in different directions. Which branch to choose is once again pointed out to us by the green square symbol.
In the further part, the clear trail disappears, and maintaining the correct direction of the march becomes possible only thanks to constantly checking the location on the phone. Just past the settlement, we emerge onto a green, mown meadow, where the trail turns 90 degrees. Well… it is very beautiful here, but there is no sign of the trail. The rest of the route is no better. Following the track from mapy.com, we reach a private property, which simply needs to be bypassed. After this experience, we give up on the persistent search for green squares and simply head upwards, towards the PTTK green trail. To do this, we pass another small construction site and use a gravel path that does not appear on any of the maps we have available. Whatever the case, we quite efficiently reach the summit of Jaworzyna (997 m a.s.l.), through which a standard, perfectly maintained green PTTK trail passes.
Okay, so what is it really like with this green trail from Bystra to Jaworzyna? Hmm, well, actually it is nothing. The route remains marked only for a short section past the Pod Jałowcem settlement, i.e., up to an altitude of approx. 860 m a.s.l. Further on, we were walking on private properties, and we saw green squares nowhere else. The information is important because the green trail remains marked on the entire route (from Bystra to Jaworzyna) on mapy.com (mapy.cz). For comparison, the same route does not appear on the popular Mapa Turystyczna. The Compass map seems to be closest to the ideal, according to which the green trail runs to the line of buildings and then… it simply breaks off.
Section from Jaworzyna to Mędralowa
On Jaworzyna (997 m a.s.l.) we join the green trail of the PTTK, running from Przyborów all the way to the Slovak border. The summit itself is interesting due to the vast meadow with a stunning view of Pilsko, Romanka and Rysianka. Seriously, a true miracle… An excellent place for a break from hiking, a picnic, or an evening bonfire. Anyway – this viewpoint was the main reason why we decided to hike the green trail instead of the shortest yellow variant.
The section of the green trail from Jaworzyna to the Slovak border is almost a 2-kilometer walk along a very gentle ridge. The forest here is quite dense, but from behind the trees, in places, there is a lovely panorama of the nearby peaks. After reaching the border, we turn left and continue on the red trail, a fragment of the Main Beskid Trail. After a while, the mentioned yellow trail joins the ridge, which is a faster and better-marked alternative from the Koszarawa-Bystra settlement. By the way, I have one more geographical curiosity for you. On a short section of the ridge between the departure of the green and the departure of the yellow trail, there is the northernmost peak of Slovakia (49.6138117N).
After entering the red trail, not much changes: we continue to walk along a forested and gently sloping ridge (100 m elevation difference over a distance of a kilometer). After a few minutes of walking, just before the Mędralowa summit, on the right side, a beautiful view of Babia Góra, the Tatras, and the Low Tatras opens up. So we sit on a stump, take sandwiches out of our backpack, and eagerly eat, unable to take our eyes off the hypnotic silhouette of Diablak. What can I say… The Beskids at their best!
Besides regular tourists, in this area, we also pass quite a few MTB enthusiasts. There is nothing strange in that, as on the southern, Slovak slopes of Mędralowa, there is the Modralova bicycle trail.
Mędralowa summit
In this way, about two hours from the start of the trip, we check in at the Mędralowa (1,169 m a.s.l.) summit. Following the reliable Rewasz guide, I state that the name of the peak (and the mountain meadow located on it) comes from the surname Mędrala, which is still popular in Przyborów and Koszarawa. The meadow offers a pleasant panorama to the north. In the foreground, you can see the peaks of the Jałowiec Range: Lachów Groń, Jałowiec, Czerniawa Sucha, and the nearby Magurka (Kolisty Groń). In the distance, we perceive the entire line of the Little Beskids (with Leskowiec, Łamana Skała and Czupel), and in front of it – the smaller ridge of the Pewelsko-Krzeszowskie Range (with Bąków). Looking even further to the left, from behind the trees, you can see the peaks of the Silesian Beskids with the characteristic Skrzyczne and the massive Barania Góra.
Back in the 90s of the 20th century, intensive sheep grazing was carried out on Hala Mędralowa. There were quite a lot of wooden huts here at that time – today mostly rotted and damaged. Only one of them has been preserved in good condition, and that is due to the efforts of enthusiasts from the “Harnasie” Student Mountain Guide Circle in Gliwice. The hut contains a bed for several people, a stove, some tourist equipment, and… a solid set of strong alcoholic beverages. In short – everything needed for a successful evening in the Żywiec Beskids ;).
Completing the loop via Hala Kamińskiego
From the Mędralowa meadow, we enter the forest, and after a few minutes, we reach a crossroads. At this point, we turn left, continuing the trip on the yellow trail. For the next few minutes, we walk through the forest, gently losing elevation. We return to open terrain in about 20 minutes after leaving the Mędralowa summit. We are now on another one of the former pastoral meadows, namely the charming Hala Kamińskiego (1050 – 1100 m a.s.l.). This clearing also owes its name to its former owners, namely highlanders named Kamieński. The meadow offers interesting views to the west, including primarily the Jaworzyna we already visited today and a large part of the Silesian Beskids ridge. Besides that, it is a good place to just lie on the grass and forget about the world for a moment ;).
From Hala Kamińskiego, we continue on the green trail, departing to the left and traversing the Magurka summit (Kolisty Groń; 1114 m a.s.l.). Ahead of us is a 1.5-kilometer forest section, on which distance we lose about 200 meters of elevation. A comfortable and charming path leads us directly to the Klekociny Pass (894 m a.s.l.), separating Magurka from Czerniawa Sucha. We turn left and continue the march along the blue trail, running along the settlement’s asphalt road. I look at all these houses and think to myself that this is a beautiful place to live, but also quite difficult. To get anything done, you have to drive, and in severe winter, a 4×4 car is definitely useful (especially before the snowplows arrive).
The buildings are mixed: sometimes you find a new, elegant house, and other times a wooden, cozy hut. The asphalt section is 1.5 kilometers long and allows for a loss of 160 meters of elevation. We reach the car after about 4 hours from starting the trip. Mędralowa therefore perfectly fulfills the role of a short, nice destination for a leisurely, sunny Saturday.
Date of trip: April 18, 2026
Trip statistics: 10.5 km; 460 meters of elevation gain
Trip map
Mędralowa – long loop from the center of Koszarawa
To Mędralowa via Lachów Groń
The second of the alternatives I propose is nothing more than an extended version of the previously described loop. As part of the expedition, we will get to know not only Jaworzyna, Mędralowa, and Hala Kamińskiego, but also Czerniawa Sucha and the charming Lachów Groń.
I start the trip at the parish parking lot by the Church of St. Charles Borromeo in Koszarawa (49.6415883N, 19.3974206E, map link). Then I head north (towards Lachowice), along the town’s main road. After 800 meters, I turn right – onto the yellow trail. For a moment, I walk between the houses, but I quickly enter the open area, with a beautiful view of Pilsko and the nearby Łosek. For the next 3 kilometers, I climb through a beautiful forest, quickly gaining approx. 400 meters of elevation. In this way, after a few dozen minutes from leaving the parking lot, I reach the Lachów Groń (1,045 m a.s.l.) summit. It is one of the most beautiful summits in this region, offering a fantastic panorama of Pilsko, Babia Góra, and Jałowiec.
From Lachów Groń, I continue along the yellow trail, descending to a small pass, and then climbing to the western summit of Czerniawa Sucha. At this point, you should turn south – along the green trail. The path traverses the two remaining culminations of Czerniawa Sucha – the main one (1,061 m a.s.l.) and the southern one, called “Beskidek” (1,045 m a.s.l.). Since there are clear, readable variants leading to both summits, I recommend turning off the trail slightly at this moment. From both the main Czerniawa Sucha and Beskidek (and especially from the latter!), there are really nice panoramas of Babia Góra and the surrounding peaks.
The climb to Lachów Groń from Koszarawa and all three summits of Czerniawa Sucha are described in more detail in a dedicated post, which I cordially invite you to read.
From Mędralowa to Przyborów
The green trail from Czerniawa Sucha, over the distance of one kilometer, brings the hiker to the Klekociny Pass. Further on, I continue in the same way as described above and through Hala Kamińskiego reach Mędralowa. I reach the highest point of the trip in this variant after covering 11 kilometers. Next, I head along the Slovak border, turn onto the green trail and reach the scenic Jaworzyna summit.
Unlike the previously described route, this time I stay on the green trail. Over the next kilometer, I descend below the culmination of Kalików Groń (916 m a.s.l.), passing through the buildings of the atmospheric Moczarki settlement (part of the Przyborów village). Then I continue along the green trail, passing the summits of Miziowy Groń (874 m a.s.l.) and Czoło (821 m a.s.l.). On the latter, I advise particular caution, because it is relatively easy to get confused here. Intuition suggests descending along a wide gravel road, which is a bridge between the Fujasy settlement and civilization. The trail, however, turns away from the road, further plodding through a dense forest and leading the hiker to the center of Przyborów. At this point, I turn right, closing the loop with a two-kilometer section along an asphalt road.
Date of trip: August 9, 2022
Trip statistics: 20.5 km; 873 meters of elevation gain
Trip map
Mędralowa – loop from Zawoja-Czatoża
Start from Zawoja-Czatoża
Zawoja is a large village municipality, lying in the southern part of the Suski county, right at the Slovak border. Although the town is more widely known mainly for its location at the foot of Babia Góra, in fact, it also offers the possibility of trekking to many other, very interesting summits. I start my trip to Mędralowa from a free forest parking lot in the Czatoża district (coordinates: 49.6093586N, 19.4979094E, map link, altitude: 713 m a.s.l.). In the settlement, it is worth paying attention to the Loreto bell tower and three cellars, used in the past for storing crops – local examples of old folk architecture.
From the parking lot, I start on the yellow trail, running along a wide forest road, along the Jałowiec stream. After two hundred meters, I reach a fork, where I turn right – onto the black trail, in the direction of Hala Kamińskiego. The next minutes pass with an intensive climb in fairly steep terrain (over a distance of 2.3 kilometers, you have to overcome 400 meters of elevation gain). Up to an altitude of 840 m a.s.l., I move along a wide forest road, and then – behind the black signs – I turn into a narrower path, climbing directly up a steeply inclined slope.
Trail through Magurka (1,121 m a.s.l.)
Alright… I should have turned, but I didn’t. Instead, I continued along a dirt road, traversing the slope at an altitude of approx. 840 m a.s.l. In this way, I reached an open area, enjoying the beautiful panorama of the nearby Babia Góra and Polica. I have a beautiful April day at my disposal, nature is just waking up, and the spring rays of the sun illuminate the still snow-covered Diablak… I am woken up from this idyll only by a feeling that I am no longer on the originally chosen trail. A quick look at the map, confirmation of my fears, and I head left, along a steep path, running directly along the slope. For the next several minutes, I climb intensively, breaking through high bushes and fallen trees. In this way, more or less at an altitude of 1,040 m a.s.l., I return to the black trail. Phew, but I made it unnecessarily difficult for myself!
The last meters of elevation are covered along a clear path, amidst a young spruce forest. In this way, after a few minutes, I reach the summit of Magurka (1,121 m a.s.l.), sometimes incorrectly called Kolisty Groń. The summit is forested, but not enough to completely obscure the panorama unfolding all around. From Magurka, I descend to Hala Kamińskiego along the yellow trail, and then I enter Mędralowa via the route already described above.
Descent to Czatoża
Continuing the loop, for approx. 300 meters, I return the same way I entered it. Next, I continue along the border red trail, a fragment of the Main Beskid Trail, gently descending to the Jałowiecka Północna Pass (998 m a.s.l.). Locals used to call it Jałowcowe Siodło and used it to drive cattle to fairs in Namiestów. From the pass, I descend along the black trail. The route runs along a clear forest road: first quite steeply (200 meters drop over 1 kilometer), then for 1.5 kilometers along the gentle valley of the Jałowiec river. In this way, after less than 10 kilometers of walking, I return to the parking lot in Zawoja-Czatoża.
Trip map
The loop I described is only the shortest route from Zawoja to Mędralowa. However, one must remember that there are tons of trails in this region, and consequently – there are at least a few possible extensions of the trip. The loop via Hala Czarnego and Gruba Jodła would be 12 kilometers, via Mała Babia Góra – 16.5 kilometers, and via Diablak itself (including Perć Akademików) – 20 kilometers. There is plenty to choose from ;).
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Bibliography
- Figiel S., Franczak P., Janicka-Krzywda U., Krzywda P., Beskid Żywiecki. Przewodnik, 4th edition, Rewasz Publishing House, Pruszków 2023.
