Hiking Trails in Zakopane and the Tatras
Every Tatra trail on this site, filterable by difficulty, length, season and who you are walking with.
10 trails
Dolina KościeliskaThe western counterpart to Morskie Oko — an easy, dramatic limestone gorge and open glacial valley leading to the Ornak shelter, with caves, wildlife and the best family suitability of any Tatra valley trail.
Sarnia SkałaA quiet rocky viewpoint above Dolina Strążyska, reachable on foot from central Zakopane in about two hours, with a panoramic view over the town and the full Tatra ridge.
Dolina ChochołowskaThe longest and westernmost Tatra valley — a long, open walk to the Chochołowska shelter, famous above all for its dense purple crocus bloom in late March and April.
Rusinowa PolanaA broad alpine meadow in the eastern Tatras with a full panorama of the Kasprowy–Świnica ridge, grazing sheep in summer, and the Wiktorówki sanctuary along the way — one of the quietest good views near Zakopane.
Hala GąsienicowaAn alpine glacial basin at 1,520 m ringed by serious peaks, with several lakes and the well-regarded Murowaniec shelter — the gateway to the central Tatra ridge without requiring technical skill.
Kasprowy WierchThe highest easily accessible summit in the Polish Tatras — reached by cable car from Kuźnice in 20 minutes, or on foot in 3-4 hours via Hala Kondratowa, with panoramic ridge views straddling the Polish-Slovak border.
Morskie OkoPoland's largest and most visited natural mountain lake — a mostly paved, 18 km round-trip walk to a dramatic glacial lake at 1,395 m in the high Tatras.
GiewontThe cross-topped peak that defines Zakopane's skyline — a chains-assisted summit with more recorded TOPR accidents than almost any other Polish Tatra trail, mostly from underestimating exposure and lightning risk.
Pięć Stawów PolskichA high alpine basin of five lakes enclosed by dramatic peaks — the most remote major shelter in the Polish Tatras, a serious full-day hike best rewarded by staying the night.
Orla PerćPoland's most demanding marked trail — a chained, exposed traverse across the central Tatra ridge above 2,000 m, for experienced high-mountain hikers only, in stable summer weather.