Babia Góra

It has long been called the Mother of Bad Weather – and for good reason: on the dome of Diablak, sunshine can give way to fog and gale within an hour. Babia Góra is the highest peak of the Western Beskids and, outside the Tatras, the highest mountain in Poland. In good weather its bare summit offers views of the Tatras, the Gorce range, the Beskids and the mountains of Slovakia. Treat it as a demanding full-day hike, not a short scenic stroll.

A mountain of many names – and two heights

The highest point of the massif is Diablak (German: Teufelspitze, "Devil's Peak"), often simply called Babia Góra. Maps usually give its height as 1,725 m, but new surveys – aerial laser scanning in 2014 and geodetic measurements in 2019 – put it at just under 1,724 m. In Poland only Śnieżka beats it for topographic prominence, and its northern slopes rise about 1,100 metres above the valley. In the 19th century it was called the Queen of the Beskids, and today people in the Orava region call it the Holy Mountain of Orava. The ridge carries both the Polish–Slovak border and the main European watershed.

Legends and early explorers

Where does the name – literally "Old Woman's Mountain" – come from? One legend says it is a heap of stones dumped outside her cottage by a giant old woman; another tells of a robber's lover who turned to stone with grief. The chronicler Jan Długosz described it as early as 1468 as a very high mountain rich in herbs. Benedykt Chmielowski, in the first Polish encyclopaedia, "Nowe Ateny" (1745), placed a lake called Morskie Oko on its summit – a lake that never existed. The scholar Stanisław Staszic climbed to the top in 1804 from the Orava side and published the first broader description of the massif.

Nature

The massif is protected by Babia Góra National Park, established in 1954. Its well-preserved vegetation zones – from lower montane forest through dwarf mountain pine to the alpine zone – led UNESCO to list the park as a world biosphere reserve on 17 January 1977. The Slovak side lies within the Horná Orava Protected Landscape Area.

Trails

• From the Krowiarki Pass via Sokolica – the most popular route, about 2.5 hours up according to trail maps.
• From Markowe Szczawiny via the Brona Pass – about 1.5 hours from the mountain hut, which is a good starting point from Zawoja Markowa.
• Perć Akademików from Markowe Szczawiny – the steepest and most demanding route (about 1 hour 15 minutes), with fixed aids; it may be closed in winter and in poor conditions.

Tripto tip

Entry to the trails of Babia Góra National Park requires a ticket, sold online and at entry points. Dogs and drones are not allowed in the park, and you must stay on marked trails. Allow 5–7 hours for the whole hike. Check the forecast and park notices before you set off: the exposed ridge is much windier and colder than the valley, so pack a windproof jacket and a warm layer even in summer. In an emergency, call the GOPR mountain rescue on 985 or +48 601 100 300.

Tickets, opening hours and getting there 2026

• Babia Góra National Park entry (as of October 2026): PLN 10, reduced PLN 5. The ticket is required on every trail and at every entrance; buy it online, at the park exhibition by the headquarters (Zawoja 1403) or at the information points at Polana Krowiarki and Zawoja Markowa.
• Trailheads with parking: Zawoja Markowa, Krowiarki Pass (Polana Krowiarki) and Stańcowa.
• Parking at Zawoja Markowa: PLN 15 for the first hour, PLN 5 for each further hour, PLN 30 for a full day (over 5 hours); the machines run 24/7, take cash and cards, and you can pay for up to 3 days. There is an EV charging station on site.
• Distances and hiking times: Krowiarki – Diablak 4.6 km (about 1 hr 15 min down); Stańcowa – Diablak 4.5 km, about 2 hrs 30 min up and 1 hr 15 min down; Markowe Szczawiny – Brona Pass – Diablak 3.1 km, about 1 hr 30 min up; Krowiarki – Markowe Szczawiny via the Górny Płaj path 6.3 km, about 2 hours.
• Perć Akademików: open in October 2026 and staying open until the weather makes it unsafe.
• Autumn and winter: days are short, nights get cold and higher, shaded sections can be wet and slippery, so bring warm layers, a headlamp and a charged phone.
• Park exhibition in Zawoja: November–April Tue–Fri 9 am–3 pm (daily except Mondays during the winter school break), May–October Tue–Sun 9 am–5 pm.
• Dogs: banned throughout the park except on the Mokry Kozub path.