Psia Trawka and Hala Gasienicowa in winter
Nearby: Zakopane| Distance | 6.4km |
|---|---|
| Time | 2h 50min |
| Ascents | 497m |
| Descents | 11m |
Elevation Profile:
beach_access Route in the shade
restaurant Restaurant or bar nearby
directions_car Access by car
directions_bus Can be reached by bus
wc Toilet along the route
warning No dogs allowed
Psia Trawka used to be a meadow in the Tatra Mountains in the Dry Water Valley (now overgrown), located along the paved road from Brzeziny to the PTTK Murowaniec mountain shelter. The black trail to Psia Trawka is an easy route for a winter walk in the Tatras with the whole family, which can be extended to Hala Gasienicowa - where a shelter and beautiful views await!
How to get to Psia Trawka? The easiest black trail from Brzeziny
We leave the car in the paid parking lot in Brzeziny and start walking on the black trail. We begin at an altitude of 1007 meters above sea level. The trail is gentle and mostly straight, with a few small uphill sections. Unfortunately, there are not many viewpoints, but it is very pleasant. In Sucha Woda, our trail merges with the red trail from Toporowa Cyrhla.
After about 2 km, which is less than an hour of walking, we reach Psia Trawka.
From Psia Trawka to Hala Gasienicowa
The lack of views for most of the trail is definitely compensated by reaching Hala Gasienicowa: however, it is an additional 4 km and a little over an hour of walking one way. In my opinion, it offers one of the most beautiful views in the Tatras! And the best tomato soup in the shelter (which was renovated some time ago), where you can take a break and rest with the kids.
Then take some pictures among the mountains, make snow angels, and you can start heading back :)
Psia Trawka, Hala Gasienicowa, and what's next?
From Psia Trawka, you can also hike on the red and green trails through Gesia Szyja (where beautiful views are expected) and descend the "stairs" to Rusinowa Polana. You can also visit the Sanctuary at Wiktorowki afterwards. This is an ideal route for warmer seasons, but unfortunately often impassable in winter.
From Hala Gasienicowa, in summer, you can descend through Boczany or Jaworzynka Valley (however, you will need to take a bus to get back to the parking lot), but in winter, we strongly advise against returning from the other side due to significant danger and difficult conditions there in winter.
If you don't want to take any risks, you can return to the parking lot the same way. The descent will be a bit faster: around 1.5 hours from Hala Gasienicowa and 30 minutes from Psia Trawka.
Psia Trawka - where does the name come from?
And where does the name of the meadow come from? Apparently, real "dog grass" used to grow here: more precisely "dog's mercury", also known as "dog's bane". Do dogs like it? We don't know... Sheep and cattle definitely don't eat it because it has very sharp leaves and stems. It is also known for its strong roots, making it difficult to uproot and reportedly difficult to mow. However, it is very resilient and undemanding, capable of growing in very dry and poor soils.
Today, there are more trees than grass on the Psia Trawka meadow, and there are no traces of the shelter that was here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Attention! Despite the "dog name", we cannot bring our four-legged friends for a walk here. The trail is located in the Tatra National Park, and bringing dogs is prohibited.
Publish Date: 2023-02-15
Last Updated: 2023-02-16
More in the Region Zakopane (Zakopane)
Total Length 152 km
