Red Trail from Rabka to Maciejowa

Town: Rabka Zdr贸j Nearby: Nowy Targ
Medium - For young hikers, steep sections possible
straighten  Distance 5.9km
timer Time 2h 28min
north_east Ascents 398m
south_east Descents 36m
Elevation Profile: max 849 m min 482 m
terrain  The slope of the terrain
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
miniaturka

The Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j is definitely the most popular route to the charming PTTK shelter on Maciejowa. The trail is not difficult and offers beautiful views.

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to the shelter on Maciejowa
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to the shelter on Maciejowa

Start of the Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j 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-Zdr贸j

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:

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa - information boards about the Main Beskid Trail
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa - information boards about the Main Beskid Trail

Parking near the trail to Maciejowa from Rabka-Zdr贸j

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):

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa: Dietla Street
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa: Dietla Street

Or drive to the end of the asphalt road on Gorcza艅ska Street, where there are a few private, paid parking lots.

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa: parking lots at the end of Gorcza艅ska Street
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa: parking lots at the end of Gorcza艅ska Street

Through scenic meadows from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa

From Gorcza艅ska 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 G贸ra. To the north, we see the Beskid Wyspowy, and ahead, the green Gorcza艅skie hills, where our destination is hidden.

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa

The trail is very sunny. We can find some shade under the few trees along the road.

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa - view of Lubo艅 Wielki
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa - view of Lubo艅 Wielki

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.

"Poem for a Horse" on the Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa
"Poem for a Horse" on the Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa

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.

Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa
Red Trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa

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):

Tatar贸w - 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 S艂one estate joins our red signs. You can use these black signs on the way back (see the last paragraph of the article).

Steep and rocky climb on the trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa
Steep and rocky climb on the trail from Rabka-Zdr贸j to Maciejowa

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 Przys艂op Meadow with the charming shelter.

View from the upper station of the closed ski lift
View from the upper station of the closed ski lift

Shelter: PTTK Bac贸wka 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.

Mountain Hut on Maciejowa
Mountain Hut on Maciejowa
Mountain Hut on Maciejowa - panorama of the Tatra Mountains from the hut
Mountain Hut on Maciejowa - panorama of the Tatra Mountains from the hut

And back to Rabka

We can return the same way. The descent from the shelter to the parking lots at the end of Gorcza艅ska 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 S艂one 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 S艂one > black trail > Maciejowa > red trail > Gorcza艅ska Street > Rabka S艂one.

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

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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