Beskid Ma艂y is an easily accessible mountain range on the border of Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships (between Bielsko-Bia艂a, Andrych贸w, and Wadowice), where you will find many trails for interesting and easy mountain excursions with children. The forested hills of Beskid Ma艂y offer kilometers of shaded paths, perfect for hot summers, as well as numerous sunny viewpoints and meadows, ideal for rest after hiking and family picnics!
Beautiful and Scenic Trails in Beskid Ma艂y
If you go to the mountains primarily to feast your eyes on beautiful mountain panoramas, we recommend these most beautiful places and trails in Beskid Ma艂y:
- you can reach them without much effort,
- there are mountain views and picnic meadows everywhere,
- ...and there are catering facilities (mountain huts, restaurants, snack shacks).
1. Leskowiec and Gro艅 Jana Paw艂a II
Leskowiec (992 m above sea level) and the mountain hut on Gro艅 Jana Paw艂a II (Jaworzynie) are the most popular destinations for hikes in the eastern part of the Beskid Ma艂y range. There are many trails leading to the summit of Leskowiec, with its sunny meadow and a view of Babia G贸ra, as well as to the nearby PTTK mountain hut.
The easiest route to Leskowiec is the so-called "white hearts trail from Rzyki" (5 km, about 2 hours, with less than 500 m elevation gain), but you can also reach it from Ponikwa, Targosz贸w, Krzesz贸w, Czartak, 艢winna Por臋ba, Tarnawa G贸rna, and even from Andrych贸w and Inwa艂d, as well as from Wadowice:
Leskowiec - all trails and attractions
Leskowiec is one of the most popular peaks in the Beskid Ma艂y Mountains. On the summit (992 meters above sea level), beautiful views await us, and just below: a friendly PTTK shelter. ...
2. Magurka Wilkowicka and Czupel
One of the most famous places in Beskid Ma艂y is the PTTK mountain hut on Magurka Wilkowicka. There are many routes leading here, some more challenging and some easier (e.g., the hiking trail from Prze艂臋cz Przegibek).
Magurka Wilkowicka - shelter, trails to the peak
Magurka Wilkowicka is a peak in the Little Beskids, located between Bielsko-Bia艂a and Wilkowice in the west, and Lake Mi臋dzybrodzkie and Lake 呕ywieckie in the east. ...
If (like us) you come across a closed viewing platform on Magurka, we recommend walking a bit lower from the summit (following the red trail towards Rogacz and Mikuszowice) to the Tourist Hut on Magurka and the meadows with a view of the Skrzyczne massif.
From the PTTK mountain hut on Magurka Wilkowicka, you can take an easy "ridge" walk and reach the highest peak of the Beskid Ma艂y range, Czupel (930 m above sea level). Although the summit itself is forested, there are several nice "windows" along the way, including a view of Skrzyczne:
Easy
Magurka Wilkowicka - Czupel
3. Hrobacza 艁膮ka / Chrobacza 艁膮ka
A peak with two names, but the same unique charm! From the forested summit of Hrobacza 艁膮ka (828 m above sea level) with a small viewpoint to the north and a large metal cross, it is worth descending to the meadow with a mountain hut. Here, you will find a beautiful panorama to the south: Lake Mi臋dzybrodzkie, the surrounding hills of Beskid Ma艂y (Mount 呕ar on the left, Czupel on the right), and the distant peaks of Babia G贸ra and Pilsko.
The shortest and quickest trail to Hrobacza 艁膮ka starts from K贸z: follow the green signs, it takes less than 2 hours (4 km, 430 m elevation gain). You can also choose several other trails: from the south, from Mi臋dzybrodzie Bialskie and 呕arn贸wka, or from the north, from Bielsko-Bia艂a Lipnik and K贸z (the yellow trail is a bit longer but gentler than the green trail).
4. Czarny Gro艅 and Meadows under Potr贸jna
This is a slightly off-the-beaten-path suggestion, away from the main trails, but it will be quieter and more peaceful than at the large and popular PTTK mountain huts on Leskowiec, Magurka Wilkowicka, and Hrobacza 艁膮ka. In Beskid Ma艂y, there are two peaks named Potr贸jna: the first Potr贸jna (847 m above sea level) is located between 艁amana Ska艂a and Leskowiec, and it is mostly forested with limited viewpoints. However, a bit further to the west, you will find Czarny Gro艅 (also known as Potr贸jna) and the Potr贸jna settlement with beautiful scenic meadows.
You can rest and have a meal at the small Chatka na Potr贸jnej (on Czarny Gro艅). The second hut, Chatka pod Potr贸jn膮, is located about 30 minutes away (2 km) on the yellow trail between Prze艂臋cz Zakocierska and Prze艂臋cz na Przykrej.
The shortest route to the scenic meadows of the Potr贸jna settlement starts from Prze艂臋cz Kocierska: it is less than 4 km along the red trail, takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, with only 200 m elevation gain. You can also reach it from Rzyki via the black or yellow trail (black is 4 km, about 1 hour and 45 minutes, with 420 m elevation gain, and yellow, passing 艁amana Ska艂a, is 6.5 km, 2.5 hours). Both trails can be combined into a loop:
Medium
From Rzyki to 艁amana Ska艂a and Potr贸jna
5. Mount 呕ar and Attractions on the Summit
For many, this is the number one spot, but it made it to the last place on our list. Why? Yes, it is beautiful, and the summit with a water reservoir is surrounded by vast meadows with views to the south, west, and north. Additionally, there are many attractions here: a year-round toboggan run, a large catering facility, the opportunity to admire gliders, paragliders, and cyclists.
Unfortunately, easy accessibility (by cable car and asphalt road) means that it can be very crowded and noisy here during the season and on weekends, just like in a city promenade... You can find a bit more peace and space on the eastern side of the reservoir or by visiting outside the peak season and weekends.
Easy
Mount 呕ar - by cable car, car, on foot or by bike
Beskid Ma艂y - Map of Trails and Attractions
We encourage you to discover the charming corners of Beskid Ma艂y! We would be happy to add the trails and places you have visited to our list. You can find the trails described here and the location of the photos on the map in the header of this article. Other trails and places in the region can be found in the respective sections.
Publish Date: 2023-04-16
Last Updated: 2024-02-12