Mountains & peaks

Turbacz

Turbacz (1310 m above sea level) is the highest peak of the Gorce Mountains, rising in the middle of the range and forming a massive buttress. Built of Carpathian flysch and part of the Crown of Polish Mountains, it ranks among the most visited summits of the Western Beskids. Its greatest asset is the panorama: from the summit — and even better from the mountain hut — you can see the Pieniny and the Tatra Mountains, from the Belianske Tatras with Havraň (2150 m) via Lomnický štít (2632 m) and Gerlach (2655 m) to Kasprowy Wierch (1987 m) and Banówka (2178 m).

The Władysław Orkan mountain hut

The first hut on Turbacz opened in 1925 on the Wisielakówka clearing and served hikers until November 1933, when it burned down — probably at the hands of poachers. The next one, built from July 1934 at the edge of Hala Długa, did not survive the war: it burned in November 1943. Today, just below the summit on the edge of the Wolnica clearing (1283 m), stands the stone PTTK hut named after Władysław Orkan, officially opened on 21 August 1958. It offers 110 beds, a dining room for 60 guests and full board; a rescue station of the Podhale GOPR group is based in the building.

The biggest trail junction in the Gorce

Below the hut, trails converge from every side of the range: the red Main Beskid Trail arrives from Rabka via the Maciejowa hut and the Stare Wierchy hut, the green and yellow trails climb from Nowy Targ and together form a convenient loop, and the blue trail starts in Koninki. The summit lies within Gorce National Park — dogs are not allowed and drone flights are banned over the higher parts.