I’m sure you know this feeling. You go to a new place. You’ve heard many times how amazing it is. Outstanding, beautiful, out of this damn planet. You expect it will take your breath away.
But it doesn’t. It turns out to be nothing special.
It happens in the mountains too. You hike for a few hours only to learn that the peak of the mountains is covered with trees and there are no views. You feel disappointed and discouraged. How to avoid such situation?
It all depends on a trail you choose. It shouldn’t be a long and tiring trail after which you’ll be exhausted. It’s not the point. It also should be a trail which will reward you with beautiful views. During your first hike mountains have their one and only chance to enchant you… We all know first impression is important 🙂
In this post you will find a list of trails in Polish mountains which I recommend for beginners. They’re not difficult and offer beautiful views 🙂 I will add new trails to the post when I find them!
This post is a part of Mountain Guide series and if you haven’t read the first part yet, do it now!
Your First Time In The Mountains – How To Prepare?
Your first time in the mountains – where to go? List of trails in Polish mountains
Fisrt time in the mountains – trails in Tatras
Tatra mountains are the highest and the most spectacular mountains in Poland. They offer the most beautiful views but it’s also hard to find a short and relatively easy hike there. Majority of trails is long with a lot of elevation gain. I have three suggestions though. And no, none of them is a long asphalt road to famous but overcrowded Morskie Oko… 😉
Time: 2h52 (time and distance of a round trip)
Distance: 6,8 km (4,6 mi)
Elevation: 346m (1135 ft)
The easiest and the shortest trip in Tatra mountains which appears here. From Hala Kondratowa (Kondratowa Coomb) you will have an amazing view at Kopa Kondracta and famous Giewont will be right above you. You can spend a relaxing afternoon there lying on a blanket 🙂
Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy from Kuźnice
Time: 5h10min
Distance: 12,5 km (8 mi)
Elevation: 812m (2664 ft)
This is a more demanding option. Hiking up to Murowaniec mountain hut can be tiring but the views are definitely worth it. From there it’s only half an hour to a pond (Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy) hidden between high, dramatic peaks. Amazing 🙂
Red trail from Kasprowy Wierch, hike down to Kuźnice
Time: 3h45min
Distance: 9 km (5 mi)
Elevation: 231 m up, 1140 m down (757 ft up, 3740 ft down)
To hike this trail you need to take a cable car from Kuźnice up to Kasprowy Wierch. It is extremely overpriced if you ask me but this will allow you to start your hike at the elevation of almost 2000m and walk along a breathtaking red trail to Kopa Kondracka pass (przełęcz pod Kopą Kondracką). The views are truly spectacular. Just prepare for strong wind 🙂
If you have two days for your hike, connect this idea with the previous point, spend the night in Murowaniec mountain hut (their website is in Polish only but try writing them an email if you want to book a room 🙂 ). It’s not very far from there to the peak of Kasprowy Wierch. I did that when my friends from France and Sweden visited me and they enjoyed it 🙂 You can find more pictures in my photo gallery of our two days hike in Tatra mountains.
First time in the mountains – trails in Bieszczady
Why don’t you spend your first time in the mountains in the most wild ones in Poland – Bieszczady? Bieszczady are quite low but very beautiful. Unfortunately I’ve been there only once but I can’t wait to go back there. One of my favorite mountain shots even comes from there.
Wyżna Pass – Chatka Puchatka mountain hut
Time: 1h50min
Distance: 5 km (3 mi)
Elevation: 344m (1128 ft)
A very short hike suitable for everybody. After a very short ascend you are rewarded with amazing views. Perfect for all first-time hikers.
Longer version – From Chatka Puchatka mountain hut to Orłowicza pass
Time: 3h50
Distance: 12 km (7,8 mi)
Elevation: 479m up and 729m down (1571 ft up, 2391 ft down)
If the first option isn’t be enough for you (and I bet you’ll want more :)) you can continue the hike towards Orłowicza Pass and get down from there.
During our stay there we went even further to a village caller Smrek – you’ll find more pictures in a post about our hike in Bieszczady.
First time in the mountains – Other trails
You can find 28 mountain ranges in Poland. Tatra mountains are the most popular among international tourists but each and every one of them is beautiful and worth visiting. I live the closest to Beskidy and I go there the most often. Here are some beginner-friendly trails is Beskidy.
Time: 3h15
Distance: 9,8km (6 mi)
Elevation: 468m (1535 ft)
I love Leskowiec in autumn when all leaves change colors. It gets so spectacular there at this time of the year!
Time: 4h10
Distance: 12,3 km (8 mi)
Elevation: 617m (2024 ft)
…and you can hike this mountain with two trails, longer and shorter one 🙂
Wielka Rycerzowa from Soblówka
Time: 3h50
Distance: 11,4 km (6,5 mi)
Elevation: 664m (2178 ft)
I was looking for pictures from this place for the last hour and it seems I lost them… So I need to redirect you to Google for a view. But let me assure you it’s beautiful 🙂
Time: 3h55
Distance: 12,4 km (8 mi)
Elevation: 528m (1732 ft)
And again I hid my pictures from a summer hike somewhere deep on the drive and I can’t find them now… I found one from skiing. It’s equally beautiful in summer!
Time: 3h50
Distance: 10km (6,4 mi)
Elevation: 768m (2519 ft)
It’s an option for more ambitious hikers because on Skrzyczne you gain a lot of elevation on a short distance. But if you take it slowly you will make it easily and the views will reward you on top 🙂 More pictures from my winter hike up Skrzyczne in a separate post.
Distance: 6,2 km
Elevation gain: 280 m
Time: 2h (with the time to rest we did it in 2,5h)
Skalnik is a small mountain located in Lower Silesia. It belongs to the Crown of Polish Mountains. The hike is easy and you will pass a great viewpoint called Ostra Mała. It was very foggy when I was there so I haven’t seen much. But I know it’s worth it 🙂 Check this separate post about hiking Skalnik in dense fog.
More inspiration awaits you in the list of 13 Most Stunning Trails In Polish Mountains I prepared together with other Polish travel bloggers. Some of them are short and easy and a great start for you too!
So… let’s pack our backpacks and see you on the tail! Let me assure you that if you choose a trail from this list you won’t think that mountains aren’t special. Outstanding, beautiful, out of this damn planet. And you will start planning your next weekend and holidays in the mountains 🙂
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