Mosorny Groń (1,047 m a.s.l.) and Kiczorka (also known as Cyl Hali Śmietanowej, 1,298 m a.s.l.) are peaks located in the Polica Range, in the eastern part of the Żywiec Beskids (Beskid Żywiecki). A common feature of these mountains is that both offer a fantastic view of the nearby Babia Góra. Besides, Mosorny Groń is particularly close to winter sports fans, thanks to the ski resort located on its southern slopes. In this post, I will describe a short, maximum few-hour trip to both mentioned peaks. My starting point will be Zawoja, not without reason considered the longest village in Poland. I will ascend via the blue trail, passing by the waterfall, and descend via the yellow trail. For those interested, I will also outline the course of other hiking trails in the Mosorny and Kiczorka area. Enjoy the read!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Blue trail – start from Zawoja-Mosorne
- Waterfall on the Mosorny Potok
- Mosorny Groń (1,047 m a.s.l.) – view of Babia Góra
- Mosorny Groń – ski complex
- From Mosorny Groń to Kiczorka
- Kiczorka (1,298 m a.s.l.) – the summit
- Return to Zawoja via the yellow trail
- Tour map
- Kiczorka (Cyl Hali Śmietanowej) – trail from Zawoja Centrum, descent to Krowiarki
- Bibliography
Blue trail – start from Zawoja-Mosorne
It is a few minutes past 8 AM when I arrive at the free parking lot next to the School and Kindergarten Complex in Zawoja (altitude: 580 m a.s.l., geographic coordinates: 49.6428872N, 19.5402119E). For a moment I walk along the pavement by the provincial road No. 957, and then I turn right – following the signpost to Mosorne, onto the blue trail that starts here.
For less than a kilometer and a half, I walk along an asphalt road, among the dense buildings of Zawoja. Do you know what always surprised me about this village? The lack of street names! Zawoja is a large village, with over 6,300 permanent residents. Moreover, the village stretches over an incredible 100.78 km² (for comparison – Kraków has 326 km², and e.g., Paris 105.40 km²). Despite this, absolutely every house has a completely different number. Just look at the map… The address Zawoja 2877 is adjacent to Zawoja 1005. Opposite – 1543, and right next to it – 179. Nowadays everyone has access to navigation, but how on earth did couriers and postmen deal with this a dozen or so years ago? I would really love to know!
At an altitude of approx. 650 m a.s.l., the blue trail veers off the asphalt road to the right – onto a dirt forest road. People who intend to return via the same route can consider leaving their car at a nearby parking lot – compared to my variant, this will save 1.5 kilometers of asphalt and 80 meters of elevation gain (parking coordinates: 49.6352203N, 19.5535569E).
Waterfall on the Mosorny Potok
I quickly leave the last buildings behind and enter the dense forest. At the very first fork, the dirt road goes right, and I follow the trail to the left – a typical Beskid path. For less than a kilometer, I walk through moderately steep terrain, gaining approx. 100 meters in elevation. Although the calendar shows the end of December, there is very little snow around. However, one must watch out for icy patches occurring here and there.
In this way, several dozen minutes after starting the trek, I reach wooden stairs, equipped even with a handrail. They lead down to one of the most interesting curiosities of Zawoja, namely the waterfall on the Mosorny Potok (approx. 740 m a.s.l.). The waterfall is 8 meters high, which places it among the largest objects of this type in the Polish Beskids. I can only assume that it looks best in its full glory in the summer. Currently, in the winter aura, it has frozen almost entirely, creating a static ice sculpture. Looking for positives, however – the frost revealed what is usually lost in the roar of falling water. The individual rock steps with distinct layers of Carpathian flysch are clearly visible.
Mosorny Groń (1,047 m a.s.l.) – view of Babia Góra
After seeing the waterfall, I continue the ascent along the blue trail. The path now leads directly up the slope, which automatically makes it much steeper (almost 300 meters of elevation gain over a distance of 1.5 kilometers). Here, it is worth staying alert and keeping a close eye on the blue marks on the trees. The forest is intersected by numerous “Beskid paths”, shortcuts, and logging roads that can easily lead you astray.
A few minutes past 9 AM I emerge onto a flat, small pass, located at an altitude of approx. 1,030 m a.s.l. At this point, I turn right for a moment – onto the yellow trail and immediately spot the wooden structure of the observation tower on Mosorny Groń (1,047 m a.s.l.). A few minutes later I am already at its top, soaking up the fantastic view of the nearby Babia Góra and the freshly groomed ski slope. You can also see my next goal – Kiczorka, a small fragment of the Tatras, and the lower parts of the Żywiec Beskids, surrounding Zawoja from the north and south. At this point, I can summarize that completing the first stage of today’s trip took me almost exactly an hour and involved covering 4.3 kilometers and 460 meters of elevation gain.
The observation tower on Mosorny Groń was put into use in 2022. The concept of its construction should be considered at least controversial. Babia Góra is perfectly visible without the tower, and the panoramas of the other mountains are, in my opinion, not unique enough to be worth such an investment.
According to the reliable Rewasz guidebook, the name of the mountain has Vlach origins and comes from the word “mosor”, meaning “a scoop made from a natural piece of wood”.
Mosorny Groń – ski complex
Mosorny Groń is known primarily for the ski slope that adorns its southern slope. The line is 1,420 meters long and has an elevation difference of 336 m. It is illuminated, equipped with artificial snowmaking, and holds FIS homologation for slalom competitions. A four-seater chairlift takes skiers to the top, covering its route in about 10 minutes. The lift also operates in the summer, pulling to the top all those who do not want or cannot reach the summit on their own. Right next to the upper cable car station, there is an inn.
The downhill run from Mosorny Groń is considered one of the most difficult in this part of the Beskids. Due to its steep incline, it is recommended rather for those who already feel quite confident on skis. The route is divided into two main parts, separated by a characteristic flat section.
From Mosorny Groń to Kiczorka
From Mosorny Groń, I return to the earlier crossroads and continue the trip along the combined blue trail and yellow trail. I am now walking along a wide ridge road with a very gentle course. The forest here is sparse enough that views of the nearby peaks constantly emerge between the trees. In this way, after a dozen or so minutes, I reach another trail junction. The blue trail leads to the left, to shortly join the green trail leading from the center of Zawoja and continuing along the northern slopes of Kiczorka and Polica – all the way to Hala Krupowa. I, on the other hand, continue along the yellow trail, leading directly along the ridge.
The yellow trail still leads along a wide dirt road for a moment. After a while, however, it veers to the left – onto a narrow, steep path, densely littered with stones and tree roots. I am now climbing something that the highlander part of my family would call a “grapa” (or possibly “grapisko”, to enhance the effect – meaning a steep, rugged slope). The incline of the terrain here is significant – 250 meters of elevation gain over a distance of just a kilometer. However, the walking is really good – in a nice rhythm, amidst living nature and soothing silence.
Kiczorka (1,298 m a.s.l.) – the summit
In this way, approx. 40 minutes after leaving Mosorny Groń, I report on the top of Kiczorka (1,298 m a.s.l.), the third highest peak of the Polica Range (after Polica itself and Czerniec). The name also reveals a Vlach origin and comes from the word “chica”, meaning “hair, facial hair”. In the past, wooded and dome-shaped peaks were called Kiczorki (or Kiczory) (although, in truth, this term would fit most Beskid elevations).
Since at least the 18th century, the summit and the north-western slopes of Kiczorka were covered by a vast pastoral clearing – Hala Śmietanowa (named after the owners – the Śmietana family from Skawica). Today, there are no more sheep in the Polica range, and the clearing has almost completely overgrown. However, the fragment that remains provides views of the nearby Babia Góra and other peaks of the Żywiec Beskids. Since the weather managed to deteriorate during the mentioned 40 minutes, I did not manage to catch the mentioned views :D. At the top, there is a place for a bonfire, and a few years ago a large tourist shelter was erected here.
Due to the existence of the mentioned clearing, the peak is also called Cyl Hali Śmietanowej. Apart from admiring the views, in the summer, it is a good place to pick blueberries.
Return to Zawoja via the yellow trail
From Kiczorka I return to Mosorny Groń, and then begin the descent via the yellow trail. I am now walking along a wide dirt road, laid out for the construction of the upper chairlift station. I lose altitude quite gently – less than 100 meters over the first kilometer. At the level of approx. 950 m a.s.l., I pass the upper parts of Zimna Dziura, a vast clearing and a former clearing settlement (i.e., a hamlet “cleared” high in the mountains, in a place where a dense forest used to grow). Today, Zimna Dziura obviously has no permanent residents anymore. Since the clearing has not completely overgrown yet, on clear days it is a good viewpoint for Babia Góra and the Jałowiec range.
At an altitude of 860 m a.s.l., the trail temporarily veers off the dirt road – onto a narrow forest path. I am now walking along the “Diablak”, one of several MTB trails laid out on the slopes of Mosorny. The initiative is cool – since there is a lift, it is good that it can also be used in the summer by cyclists. And suddenly! Bam! I trip over a root and fall flat on the forest path. For some time I feel pain in my knee, but fortunately, the indisposition passes quite quickly.
The yellow trail reaches the familiar dirt road again, only to move away from it again a moment later. I descend a steep slope, pass several MTB trails, cross a footbridge over the Jaworzynka river and, at an altitude of approx. 650 m a.s.l., I emerge onto the provincial road No. 957. I cover the last three kilometers of the trek on the pavement, along the buildings of the village of Zawoja. Among the elegant guesthouses and restaurants, two vacant buildings catch the eye. The first one stands in front of the roundabout and, as can be deduced from the writing on the walls, is an abandoned nightclub. The second is the famous “Górnik” holiday home, popular among urbex enthusiasts.
Date of the trip: December 29, 2025
Trip statistics: 14 km; 700 meters of elevation gain
Tour map
Kiczorka (Cyl Hali Śmietanowej) – trail from Zawoja Centrum, descent to Krowiarki
Green trail from Zawoja Centrum
An alternative path into the Polica range leads from Zawoja Centrum. The green trail passes through the main square of the village, and then turns right – behind the wooden church of St. Clement. For a moment we walk on asphalt, only to land on a forest path a moment later. The approach is long, gentle, and somewhat monotonous. After 2.5 kilometers from leaving the center, we report among the buildings of the Krzonka settlement (approx. 800 m a.s.l.). Then we traverse the Spalenica peak (856 m a.s.l.) and emerge again near houses – at the Hujdowa settlement (825 m a.s.l.) with a scenic clearing.
From the Hujdowa settlement we continue the ascent along a wide, stony forest road. Although it is still quite tedious, at times views of the surrounding peaks break through between the spruces. In this way, after less than 5 kilometers of hiking (which accumulated 530 meters of elevation gain) we reach the pass between the Kiczorki (approx. 1,000 m a.s.l.). If we wanted to follow the marked path all the time, we should now turn right – onto the blue trail. In this way, after less than a kilometer, we will hit the ridge yellow trail, already described in this article.
A shorter alternative is to continue along the green trail, and then turn right – onto an off-trail shortcut. Although the path is marked on mapy.cz, it is essentially an ordinary cut line, leading steeply up an unwelcoming, rugged slope. The fact that people sometimes walk here is only indicated by the rubbish scattered around the forest…
Whatever one may say, however, the path actually shortens the route, leading us to the yellow trail at an altitude of approx. 1,250 m a.s.l. From this place, Kiczorka is just a stone’s throw away ;).
Descent to Krowiarki
The variant I described is part of a longer trek, the premise of which was a hike to Babia Góra straight from our grandparents’ house – from Kuków. It is no wonder then that from Kiczorka we do not descend back to Zawoja, but on the contrary – we take the red trail to the Krowiarki pass. This is a four-kilometer section of the Main Beskid Trail. Initially, it leads along a wide road, only to change its character into a narrow path after approx. two kilometers. There are no views here – you walk all the time through a dense, impenetrable forest. The terrain’s decline is rather gentle – only the last descent from the Syhlec peak (1,146 m a.s.l.) passed along the way is quite steep. By the way, this name also has Vlach origins, and simply means a “wet place”.
In this way, the red trail leads down to the popular Krowiarki pass (approx. 1,010 m a.s.l.), from where perhaps the most popular loop in the Polish Beskids begins its course – the loop to Babia Góra. Those who need to descend to Zawoja have the blue trail at their disposal, running along the provincial road No. 957 (and further along with it). This is the so-called old road, used by local residents even before the construction of the asphalt highway.
Date of the trip: August 23, 2023
Trip statistics: 10 km; 810 meters of elevation gain [fragment]
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Map of the variant
Bibliography
- Figiel S., Franczak P., Janicka-Krzywda U., Krzywda P., Beskid Żywiecki. Przewodnik, 4th edition, Rewasz Publishing House, Pruszków 2023.
