Forest Pier in Stary Sącz

Leśne Molo (say "LESH-neh MOH-loh", literally "Forest Pier") is a free treetop walkway on Miejska Góra, a wooded 421-meter hill right above the small town of Stary Sącz in southern Poland. The wooden boardwalk runs for more than 200 meters (650 feet) through the canopy and ends at a glass-panelled viewing deck about 18 meters (60 feet) above the ground, with sweeping views over the town, the meeting of the Poprad and Dunajec rivers and the Low Beskid hills. It is one of the best free things to do in Stary Sącz.

Background

The walkway cost about PLN 6 million and was built under a Polish-Slovak cross-border project with the Slovak town of Levoča as partner. It opened in fall 2021 and was an instant hit: according to Radio Kraków, more than 317,000 people walked it in its first year or so, an average of over 600 a day, counted by automatic sensors. In 2026 a second joint project with Levoča added Orbisfera, a family recreation and play area on the hilltop.

What to see

• "Dewdrops" nature trail: on the climb you pass seven giant glass spheres that walk you through the life cycle of the yellow-bellied toad, a protected mountain amphibian. You can step inside them.
• The canopy boardwalk: a broad wooden deck with bridges and a huge net hammock slung between the trees.
• The glass finale: at roughly fourth-floor height, you look down on the market square, the parish church and the Poor Clares Monastery, then out to Nowy Sącz and the peaks of the Grybów Mountains on the horizon.

The hill is a genuine forest rather than a park, so you can extend the visit on woodland paths.

How long does it take?

Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the round trip from the town center, plus time on the boardwalk. The approach from Żwirki i Wigury Street follows a concrete path that is steep at first and then levels off, with benches and a small viewing deck on the way. Visitors report that strollers can make it up, but the first stretch is hard work. Clear days in spring and fall, and sunset, give the best views. Skip the high deck in strong wind or thunderstorms.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with children or as a break from churches and museums. It is free, short and gives you the best overview of Stary Sącz and the Sącz Valley. Do not expect an adrenaline park: it is a gentle walk with one airy viewpoint.

Practical information

• Admission: free, no tickets (as of October 2026)
• Opening hours: none published by the town; visit in daylight
• Contact: Stary Sącz Town Office, +48 18 446 02 70, gmina@starysacz.um.gov.pl
• Currency: Polish złoty (PLN); you will not need it here, but cafés on the market square do

Getting there and parking

Stary Sącz is about 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Kraków, usually just under two hours by car; Kraków Airport (KRK) is the nearest international gateway. The town has a railway station, and Nowy Sącz is 8 km (5 miles) away. The trail starts on Żwirki i Wigury Street, a few hundred meters from the market square. The town recommends:

• the free Park & Ride lot on Pod Ogrodami Street (136 spaces), linked to the center by a footbridge over Jana Pawła II Street
• the market square, free on weekends
• a free lot behind the Town Office (entrance from Batorego Street) and parking by the Sokół cinema (Batorego 23)

A handful of spaces at the end of Królowej Jadwigi Street are closer to the trailhead but fill fast.

Nearby

Combine the walk with the Poor Clares Monastery founded by St. Kinga in 1280, the Regional Museum on the market square and the papal altar from John Paul II's 1999 visit.