Red Trail from Rabka to Maciejowa
Town: Rabka Zdrój Nearby: Nowy Targ| Distance | 5.9km |
|---|---|
| Time | 2h 28min |
| Ascents | 398m |
| Descents | 36m |
wb_sunny Route in the sun
restaurant Restaurant or bar nearby
sports_basketball Playground along the route
directions_car Access by car
directions_bus Can be reached by bus
The Red Trail from Rabka-Zdrój is definitely the most popular route to the charming PTTK shelter on Maciejowa. The trail is not difficult and offers beautiful views.
Start of the Red Trail from Rabka-Zdrój to the shelter on Maciejowa
The Red Trail starts at the PKP station in Rabka and goes through Zdrojowy Park. First, we need to walk almost through the entire town. With younger children, it might be hard to skip the park full of attractions and playgrounds!
Main Beskid Trail in Rabka-Zdrój
Did you know that the trail we are walking on is part of the longest mountain trail in Poland? There are signs along our route reminding us of this:
Parking near the trail to Maciejowa from Rabka-Zdrój
If you are driving, you can significantly shorten the first part of the trail (by almost 3 km!). You can leave your car either at the bays near the hospital on Dietla Street (free):
Or drive to the end of the asphalt road on Gorczańska Street, where there are a few private, paid parking lots.
Through scenic meadows from Rabka-Zdrój to Maciejowa
From Gorczańska Street, we walk straight onto scenic meadows. The dirt road is wide and gently climbs uphill (it will only get steeper near the top). The views around are stunning: behind us, the sharp peaks of the Tatra Mountains and the conical Queen of the Beskids: Babia Góra. To the north, we see the Beskid Wyspowy, and ahead, the green Gorczańskie hills, where our destination is hidden.
The trail is very sunny. We can find some shade under the few trees along the road.
Poem for a Horse?
An interesting place to stop along the way is this large granite slab with an anonymous "Poem for a Horse." Maybe you will spot galloping horses in the nearby meadows? Next to the plaque, there is a table with benches.
With a stroller to Maciejowa?
The wide dirt road seems accessible for strollers - of course, those with large, inflatable wheels. However, it will be difficult to reach the shelter itself. After entering the forest, there are a few steep, rocky climbs. Only the first section of the trail - through the scenic meadows - is suitable for strollers.
If you really want to try to get to Maciejowa with a stroller, we recommend the green trail from Jasieniowa. Here too, in one steep place, you will need to carry the stroller, but otherwise, the road is wide and comfortable (although, of course, it is a forest road):
Tatarów - Maciejowa
The second half of the trail goes through the forest: here we can rest from the sun, but it gets steeper. Here, the black trail from the Rabka Słone estate joins our red signs. You can use these black signs on the way back (see the last paragraph of the article).
Only after reaching the upper station of the closed ski lift (a few tables with benches) does the road level out, and after another 10-15 minutes, it leads us to the scenic Przysłop Meadow with the charming shelter.
Shelter: PTTK Bacówka on Maciejowa
In the shelter, you can have a warm meal and stay overnight. The shelter is small, charming, with a beautiful panorama both from the windows and from the scenic meadows.
And back to Rabka
We can return the same way. The descent from the shelter to the parking lots at the end of Gorczańska Street will take about 1 hour, and to the town center (near the PKP station) - about 1.5 hours.
We can also use the black trail to the Rabka Słone estate, which will get us back to the town faster. This is especially important if, for example, in case of bad weather (storm), we want to avoid walking through open meadows. In the article about the black trail, we also describe the idea of using it to make a "loop": Rabka Słone > black trail > Maciejowa > red trail > Gorczańska Street > Rabka Słone.
PS. This trail has been included in our article "Gorce - easy trails and routes for children." Want to know the others?
Gorce: easy trails and routes for children
Are you looking for a route for a family trip to the mountains? Perhaps this will be your child's first mountain hike? It's worth choosing a s ...
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