Hiking in Poland: the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane trails

The Tatra Mountains (‘Tatry’ in Polish) – the highest mountains in Poland, located in the south of Poland and protected as national parkland – are part of the Carpathian Mountains. The town of Zakopane is in the heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains, serving as a starting point for hiking trails for amateurs and experienced hikers. The highest peak in the Polish Tatras (Rysy) is 2,499 m, but the mountains are rich in trails suitable for families with children (including toddlers), seniors, and all those who love nature.

Our Guide to Hiking in the Polish Tatra Mountains includes:

The Tatra National Park covers the Polish Tatras – one of 23 national parks in Poland. It offers 275 km of marked hiking trails (click here to view an interactive map of trails developed by the Tatra National Park) of varying difficulty: from very easy to extremely demanding and equipped with devices like chains, buckles, and ladders. You will find many well-marked trails of easy to moderate difficulty in the Tatra Mountains – perfect for beginners, usually half-day to one-day tours.

Hiking trails in the Tatras are marked with five colors: black, red, green, blue, and yellow. The colors do not indicate the difficulty of the trail. Trail maps can be purchased online, at the entrances to larger trails, and, for example, in Zakopane.

For tips on visiting Zakopane, check out our post: The town of Zakopane – the heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains.

When is the best time of the year to visit the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane for hiking?

Like every other main tourist attraction, Zakopane is crowded during high season (basically, summer break at Polish schools – from the end of June until August 31, as well as all so-called long weekends in Poland, eg, May 1-3). If you visit the Tatra Mountains during high season, there is one option to avoid crowds: set out on the trail early in the morning.

Although April is considered a spring month, it’s usually colder in the Tatra Mountains. On most trails (even in the valleys), there is still snow, which makes hiking much harder and unpleasant (muddy and slippery trails). Sometimes, even at the beginning of May, the ski lifts at the Kasprowy Wierch Mountain still operate. The second half of May and the first half of June are good options – it is warmer, flowers start blooming, and usually, there is no snow on the trails in the lower mountains. On the downside, it’s also a season for school trips (it is difficult to pass them on the trail, if you come across a school trip in a mountain hut, all places will be occupied, etc.). Summer holidays (end of June until the end of August) in the Zakopane area usually mean long lines, packed restaurants and hotels, and crowds of tourists in the most popular places.

September can be a nice option – it’s not so hot anymore, and the autumn nature is beautiful. Compared to May and mid-June, you will probably meet more people on the trails – school trips (as in May and June), plus university students (in Poland, students return to universities in October). The weather in the Tatra Mountains in October and November differs each year and is the great unknown – one weekend you can enjoy sunny weather, and on the other, there is so much snow that it’s difficult to hike.

Do I need to buy a ticket to enter the Tatra National Park?

You must have an admission ticket to the Tatra National Park to enter the trail. The ticket is valid all day and gives access to all the trails. A regular ticket costs 11 PLN, reduced 5,50 PLN (students, seniors, people with disabilities), and children up to 7 years old have free entrance. A weekly ticket (for 7 days) is worth buying for extended stays. It costs 55 PLN (reduced – 27,50 PLN). Its main advantage is that you do not need to stand in line every time to buy a ticket. This is especially important with the most popular trails (eg, Morskie Oko Lake) or during high season (if you have a weekly ticket, you don’t need to stand in line).

There is also an option to buy tickets online. Please note that there is not always an internet connection in the park area – buying online tickets before heading to the mountains is recommended.

At the entrance to the most popular trails, you will find small ticket offices. When there is no ticket office at the entrance or it’s closed, you can enter the park without a ticket (the Tatra National Park doesn’t have opening hours).

How do you dress for a trip to the Tatra Mountains?

Of course, shoes are of key importance. And although you may not need super professional hiking gear, trekking shoes with thick soles will certainly facilitate walking and help avoid slipping or soaking your socks. Considering the variable and often rainy mountain weather, be assured that your shoes can get muddy or wet after the first trip. You need a spare pair of shoes if you plan a second, afternoon trip or if your shoes do not dry out until the morning. Sneakers, sandals, or wellies are not recommended on the trail (even in the valleys) – you could stumble, your feet get tired quickly in these kinds of shoes, and on stony trails, it is too slippery for these kinds of shoes. It’s good to have a rain jacket (very often the sunny weather in the morning changes into the rain, and the opposite) and a hat (many trails are not shaded).

What time is best to go on the trail in the Tatras? And why is it early morning?

This is a crucial question you need to ask yourself and your companions;) The answer and your decision will affect the comfort and experience of the hiking expedition. Why? Tatras are one of Poland’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting thousands of visitors each year. In the middle of the day, the trails are usually already crowded, which impacts the hiking experience. If you set off on a trip early enough, there is a chance you will see just a fraction of the people you will later in the day. Imagine you have the trail to yourself!

How early? Set out on the trail when the rest of the tourists eat breakfast. The sooner the better, realistically – aim for entering the Tatra National Park at about 7-8 am.

The top 3 hikes for beginners and families with children (stroller-accessible trails) in the Polish Tatra Mountains

The Kościeliska Valley is one of the most picturesque valleys in the Polish Tatra Mountains. The trail leads along a comfortable, wide path, gently climbing up. It’s more of a long walk than hiking in the mountains. It’s suitable for everyone in fair hiking conditions, including children and seniors. However, you must remember that it’s a relatively long walk – it takes about 90 minutes to walk one way. The Kościeliska Valley is a stroller-accessible trail (preferably with bigger wheels or air-filled tires).

The Morskie Oko trail leads to the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains, called Morskie Oko. The route to Morskie Oko runs along an asphalt road (only at the end, there is a stony but passable road with strollers). It’s a relatively easy trail in terms of little elevation gain, but a challenging trail in terms of mileage (16 km total, about 2 hours one way). Morskie Oko makes a huge impression – it’s a truly stunning lake.

The Strążyska Valley is the best trail in the Polish Tatras for a trip with children, for seniors, or beginner hikers. It is not very long, it stretches along the swift creek, on the way you will encounter a lot of bridges, boulders, small waterfalls where you can soak your hands – a lot is going on for a little (or bigger) weary tourist. The Strążyska Valley is an easy trail, especially in terms of the length of the trail (the whole trip back and forth takes over an hour). Compared to the flat Kościeliska Valley, the trail has a moderate elevation gain. At the end of the trail, the route gets a little steeper, but the finishing line (the Strążyska Glade/Polana Strążyska) is close (depending on the model of your stroller, it may be necessary to carry it on a path with larger stones at the end of the trail).

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