The Tower on Mount Cergowa – Views and Trails to the Summit
Town: Dukla
check_circle Slopes
check_circle Mainly in the shade
check_circle Convenient parking
check_circle Accessible by bus
Cergowa near Dukla (716 m above sea level) is not the highest peak in the Low Beskids, but it is certainly one of the most distinctive. The steep slopes of Mount Cergowa and its unique profile have earned it the nickname “Dukla’s Giewont.” What else is worth knowing about Cergowa? How can you reach its summit, and what will you see from the viewing tower’s observation deck?
All trails to Cergowa
Two hiking trails intersect at the summit of Cergowa. One of them is Poland’s longest mountain trail: the red-marked Main Beskid Trail. The other is a local municipal path marked with yellow arrows. Which route to the summit of Cergowa is worth choosing, and why?
Recommended trail to Cergowa
Of the four routes to choose from, we definitely recommend the red trail from Nowa Wieś nad Jasiołką. Approaching the summit from the south means avoiding the need to climb the steep northern slopes.
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Cergowa from Nowa Wieś - Red Trail to the Observation Tower
From Zawadka Rymanowska to Cergowa
The yellow path from Zawadka Rymanowska also follows the southern slopes, so there are no particularly steep sections here either. In total, we have 3.3 km to cover, with 340 m of elevation gain, taking approx. 1 hr 20 min one way.
From Iwonicz-Zdrój and Lubatowa to Cergowa
From the north, the red trail reaches Cergowa from the direction of the village of Lubatowa (5 km, 370 m of elevation gain, approx. 2 hours one way). We can also join this route from Iwonicz-Zdrój. In that case, the route is 9 km long, with 490 m of elevation gain, taking approx. 3 hours one way. Here is a description of the route from the point where we turn off the asphalt road into the forest:
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Cergowa Mountain from Lubatowa - red trail
From Dukla to Cergowa
We can also set off for Mount Cergowa directly from Dukla. This is the only trail that passes through the Tysiąclecia Nature Reserve on Mount Cergowa. An additional attraction is the opportunity to visit the forest chapel of St. John of Dukla and the spring known as the “Golden Well”
Please note: due to the construction of the S-19 expressway, the route of the path has changed (July 2025). You can find the current description of its route here:
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The Golden Well and Mount Cergowa from Dukla
Cergowa, 716 m above sea level – summit and viewing tower
At the summit of Cergowa, a forest clearing with benches awaits us, along with a viewing tower that allows us to rise above the treetops (at least some of them).
Did you know that, according to the designers’ concept, the tower on Cergowa is intended to resemble traditional oil-drilling towers, thus referencing the region’s oil industry traditions?
What can we see from the tower on Cergowa?
Thanks to the viewing tower, we can enjoy beautiful panoramas of the Low Beskids – both its eastern part (the Bukowica Range with Tokarnia), the southern Border Range, and its western part: the Magura Range and the Hańczowskie Mountains with Lackowa.
On a clear day, we can also spot the Tatra Mountains! A telescope will make observation easier, while panorama boards will help us identify the peaks:
Mount Cergowa: facts and curiosities
What is worth knowing about Mount Cergowa? Discover the most interesting stories about this peak!
Where does the name Mount Cergowa come from?
The three-summited mountain takes its name from the Celtic word “cerg,” meaning circle. It is also sometimes called “Great Mountain” and the “Beskid/Dukla Giewont.”
Caves on Mount Cergowa
Cergowa is famous for its numerous landslide caves. Unfortunately, due to the high risk of falling rocks, they are not open to visitors. The caves on Cergowa have intriguing names, including “The Cave Where a Speleologist Fell In” and “The Cave Where an Aeroplane Crashed.” The latter was discovered in 1944, following the crash of a German transport aircraft.
Tunnels beneath Cergowa?
Most likely because of the numerous caves and rock fissures in the area, legends arose that secret tunnels lie within the Cergowa massif. Apparently, they lead all the way to the castle in Odrzykoń near Krosno. According to another legend, a forester’s dog entered a cave in Bosrsuczych Dziurach and emerged on the other side of the mountain – entirely hairless!
A reservoir beneath Cergowa?
Cergowa came remarkably close to ending up above the surface of a lake! There were plans to create a reservoir on the Jasiołka River in this area.
St. John of Dukla and Cergowa
The forests on the slopes of Cergowa are associated with stories about St. John of Dukla. The 15th-century monk is said to have had his first hermitage here. Today, the so-called Golden Well – a spring and chapel – stands in its place.
Zlota Studzienka of Saint John of Dukla on Mount Cergowa
Zlota Studzienka, or the "Golden Well", is a quiet place in the forest on the slopes of Mount Cergowa near Dukla in south-eastern Poland. According to local tradition, this was the site of the first hermitage of Saint John of Dukla. Today, it is often visited by local people, tourists, and pilgrims. ...
Other viewing towers in Podkarpackie Province
Would you like to discover other viewing towers in Podkarpackie Province? Take a look here:
The Most Beautiful Observation Towers in Podkarpackie Voivodeship
Where can we find the most beautiful observation towers in the Podkarpackie region? How to get there and what can we see from the viewing terraces? ...
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More in the Region Beskid Niski (Mountain range of the Low Beskids (Beskid Niski))
