Beskid Mały
Beskid Mały is a small mountain range located on the border of the Silesian and Małopolska voivodeships: between Bielsko-Biała (to the west), Andrychów and Wadowice (to the north), and Żywiec (to the south). The highest peak of Beskid Mały is Czupel (930 meters above sea level), and the most popular peaks to conquer are Leskowiec, Magurka Wilkowicka, Hrobacza Łąka, and the unique mountain Żar, famous for its pumped-storage power plant and numerous attractions. The main centers and trail junctions are the picturesque towns of Porąbka, Międzybrodzie Bialskie, and Międzybrodzie Żywieckie, located on the beautiful Lake Międzybrodzkie. Numerous trails in Beskid Mały also start from Bielsko-Biała, Kóz, Rzyk, and Targoszów.
Beskid Mały with Children
Beskid Mały is also a great choice for young hikers! In this region, you can easily find short and easy trails perfect for family trips. An additional attraction will be the opportunity to stop and rest at one of the mountain shelters: Gron Jana Pawła II (Leskowiec), Magurka Wilkowicka, Hrobacza Łąka, or the cozy cottages on Potrójna and Rogacz.
For your first mountain hikes, we especially recommend the easy trail to Magurka Wilkowicka from Przełęcz Przegibek, or the trail of white hearts to Groń and Leskowiec.
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From Przełęcz Przegibek to Magurka Wilkowicka
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White Hearts Trail - Leskowiec in Winter
Beskid Mały - Most Beautiful Views
Among the forested hills of Beskid Mały, it is worth seeking out scenic meadows. Open spaces and extensive panoramas await you not only on the "bare" mountain Żar (you can take a off-road train here), but above all on the peak of Leskowiec (with a view of Babia Góra), Hrobacza Łąka (with a view of Lake Międzybrodzkie), and Czarny Groń, the ridge above Chatka pod Potrójną.
TOP 5 Beskid Mały: Most Beautiful Scenic Trails
Beskid Mały is an easily accessible mountain range on the border of Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships, where you will find many trails for interesting and scenic family mountain excursions. ...
Trails in Beskid Mały
The most popular trails "circulate" around Magurka Wilkowicka in the western part of Beskid Mały and around Leskowiec in the eastern part of the range. These trails can often be combined into interesting loops, such as the loop to Hrobacza Łąka from Żarnówka, or from Kóz (green + yellow trail through Przełęcz Panienki), the loop to Magurka Wilkowicka from Wilkowice (red trail + black trail), the loop to Leskowiec from Krzeszów, or the loop from Rzyki to Łamana Skała and Potrójna.
Important to note: mountain trails in Beskid Mały generally do not present any particular terrain difficulties. The paths are comfortable, without very steep ascents.
However, there may be exceptions, such as the approach to Gancarz (green trail from the north) or the ascent to the highest peak of the range, Czupel, by the blue trail from Czernichów, which can be quite tiring not only for beginner hikers...
Beskid Mały - Attractions for Children and More!
Beskid Mały is not just mountains, but also water, namely two large reservoirs: Lake Międzybrodzkie on the Sole and Lake Mucharskie (Świnna Poręba reservoir) on the Skawa. Unusual attractions await you at the top of Mount Żar (a train, a year-round toboggan run, a paragliding and glider station). It is also worth visiting larger towns in the area: Bielsko-Biała, Żywiec, Sucha Beskidzka, and Wadowice.
Beskid Mały: Rocks, Caves, Stone Shelters
Or perhaps you feel like embarking on a search for Grota Komonieckiego and Wodospad Dusica under Madohora? Be careful: this will be an "orientation" hike, as there are no marked trails here!
If you are not successful or do not want to take the risk, look for other rocks and caves - you will surely find something interesting! On the green trail of rocks from Targoszów, you will find attractions such as:
While hiking the trails of Beskid Mały, you may also come across the remains of stone shelters (usually on the edge of clearings where animals were pastured). This is a characteristic feature of the Beskid Mały and Żywiecki region, associated with local pastoral culture.
...and these are already "stone objects" created by guests of Beskid Mały, also beautiful!
Ps. New Borders of Beskid Mały
In order to establish the borders of the region, we rely on the latest findings of the Polish Academy of Sciences, namely the monograph "Regionalna geografia fizyczna Polski" published in 2018. Therefore, for accuracy, in the "Beskid Mały" tab on our website, you will find trails and places from the mesoregion of Beskid Mały 513.47 (excluding the Pewelsko-Krzeszowskie range 513.57).