Tower on Cergowa Mountain - 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 one of the most recognizable. Its steep slopes and unusual shape make people call it the "Giewont of Dukla". What is worth knowing about Cergowa? How can you reach the top, and what can you see from the viewing tower?
All trails to Cergowa
Two tourist trails meet on the top of Cergowa. One of them is the Main Beskid Trail, marked in red. It is the longest mountain trail in Poland. The other is a local trail marked with yellow arrows. Which route to the top of Cergowa is the best, and why?
Recommended trail to Cergowa
There are 4 routes to choose from, but we especially recommend the red trail from Nowa Wie艣 near the Jasio艂ka River. If you climb from the south, you avoid the steep northern slopes.
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Cergowa from Nowa Wie艣 - Red Trail to the Observation Tower
From Zawadka Rymanowska to Cergowa
The yellow trail from Zawadka Rymanowska also follows the southern slopes, so it is not very steep. The route is 3.3 km long, with 340 m of elevation gain, about 1 hour 20 minutes one way.
From Iwonicz-Zdr贸j and Lubatowa to Cergowa
The red trail from the north reaches Cergowa from the village of Lubatowa. It is 5 km long, with 370 m of elevation gain, about 2 hours one way. You can also join this route from the spa town of Iwonicz-Zdr贸j. From there, the route is 9 km long, with 490 m of elevation gain, so it takes about 3 hours one way. Here is a description of the route from the place where you leave the asphalt road and enter the forest:
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Cergowa Mountain from Lubatowa - red trail
From Dukla to Cergowa
You can also start your hike to Cergowa directly from Dukla. This is the only route that goes through the Millennium Nature Reserve on Cergowa Mountain. An extra attraction is the chance to visit the forest chapel of Saint John of Dukla and the spring called the "Golden Well".
Note: because of the construction of the S-19 express road, the route has changed as of July 2025. You can find the current route description 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 top of Cergowa, there is a forest clearing with benches and a viewing tower. The tower lets you rise above at least some of the treetops.
Did you know that the Cergowa tower was designed to look like old oil drilling towers? This is a reference to the oil industry traditions of this region.
What can you see from the tower on Cergowa?
From the viewing tower, you can see beautiful panoramas of the Low Beskids: the eastern part with the Bukowica Range and Tokarnia, the southern border range, and the western part with the Magura Range and the Ha艅czowa Mountains, including Lackowa.
When the weather is clear, you can also see the Tatra Mountains! A telescope helps with viewing, and information boards help you recognize the peaks:
Cergowa Mountain: facts and interesting stories
What is worth knowing about Cergowa Mountain? Here are some of the most interesting stories about this peak.
Where does the name Cergowa come from?
This mountain has three summits. Its name probably comes from the Celtic word "cerg", meaning a circle. It is also sometimes called the "Great Mountain" or the "Giewont of the Beskids" and the "Giewont of Dukla".
Caves on Cergowa Mountain
Cergowa is known for many landslide caves. Unfortunately, they are not open to visitors because there is a high risk of falling rocks. The caves have interesting names, such as "The Cave Where a Caver Fell In" and "The Cave Where a Plane Crashed". The second one was discovered in 1944 after the crash of a German transport plane.
Tunnels under Cergowa?
Because there are many caves and rock cracks in the area, local legends say that secret tunnels run through the Cergowa massif. Some people said they went as far as the castle in Odrzyko艅 near Krosno. Another story says that a forester's dog entered a cave in the place called Borsucze Dziury, or Badger Holes, and came out on the other side of the mountain completely without fur!
A lake below Cergowa?
Cergowa almost stood above a lake. There were plans to create a dam reservoir on the Jasio艂ka River in this area.
Saint John of Dukla and Cergowa
Stories about Saint John of Dukla are connected with the forests on the slopes of Cergowa. This 15th-century monk is said to have had his first hermitage here. Today, this place is called the Golden Well. There is a small spring and a chapel.
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 the Podkarpackie region
Would you like to discover other viewing towers in the Podkarpackie region of south-eastern Poland? Have 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))
