Difficulty: Moderate
Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy
Start: Kuźnice · via Murowaniec mountain hut and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy
- 5:13 h
- Time
- 12.6 km
- Distance
- +788 m
- Ascent
Difficulty: ModerateHigh Tatrashigh tatraslakeviewsclassic
Czarny Staw pod Rysami
1583 m a.s.l. · trail red · start: Palenica Białczańska
Trail openBulletin as of 20 października 2026
Official TPN bulletinNo reported closures or obstacles on this trail according to the official TPN bulletin (20 października 2026).
PolecanyPalenica – Czarny Staw
- Wysokość
- 1583 m a.s.l.
- Dystans
- 19.1 km
- Czas przejścia
- 5 h 54 min
- Suma podejść
- 819 m
- Start
- Palenica Białczańska
- Meta
- Palenica Białczańska
Czas i dystans dla całej wycieczki, z powrotem do startu.
Tempo
5 h 54 minSzacunek od czasu z opisu, bez kolejek i postojów.
- medium
- red
- High Tatras
- Dla rodzin: Tak
- Z psem: Nie
- 23 zdjęcia
- Ślad GPX (.gpx)
Warianty wejścia
Polecany jest na tej stronie. Inny start ma osobną kartę — własny opis i mapę.
| Wariant | Start | Czas przejścia | Łańcuchy | Kolor szlaku |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Palenica – Czarny StawPolecany Tarmac, the shore of Morskie Oko, steps into the cirque. No chains. The figures at the top of the page show this loop. | Palenica Białczańska | 5 h 54 min | Nie |
|
Morskie Oko only Tarmac and around the lake. No steps up to Czarny Staw. Separate page: Morskie Oko. Zobacz ten szlak → | Palenica Białczańska | 4 h 14 min | Nie |
|
On to Rysy This is not an add-on after a photo of the lake. Separate page: Rysy. A holiday day often runs past 13 hours. Zobacz ten szlak → | Palenica Białczańska | 11 h 44 min | TakLong chains from Bula, the Przełączka, falling stones. |
|
Polecany
Palenica – Czarny Staw
Tarmac, the shore of Morskie Oko, steps into the cirque. No chains. The figures at the top of the page show this loop.
Mapa i profil trasy
Palenica – Czarny Staw
Profil wysokościowy trasy
Wykres podejść wygenerowany ze śladu GPX. Przesuń kursor lub palec po wykresie, aby sprawdzić profil podejścia i punkty kulminacyjne.
GPX · 18.93 km
Punkt kulminacyjny
1583m n.p.m.
przy 9.46 km
Najniższy punkt
984m n.p.m.
Podejścia (suma)
+836m
Zejścia (suma)
-836m
Dystans profilu
18.93km
Ślad GPX do nawigacji
Wgraj trasę do zegarka sportowego (Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Apple Watch) lub aplikacji nawigacyjnej (Mapy.cz, Komoot, Locus Map, Strava) i nawiguj po szlaku w trybie offline bez zasięgu.
Kompatybilność:GarminCorosSuuntoApple WatchMapy.czKomootStrava
Jak wgrać plik GPX?
- Kliknij przycisk „Pobierz ślad GPX”, aby zapisać plik .gpx na telefonie lub komputerze.
- Otwórz plik w aplikacji Garmin Connect, Coros, Suunto, Mapy.cz, Komoot lub wyślij na zegarek GPS.
- Zapisz trasę w trybie offline, aby w Tatrach nawigować pewnie i bez obaw o brak zasięgu sieci komórkowej.
Czarny Staw pod Rysami (1,583 m a.s.l.) is one of the most beautiful and darkest lakes in the Tatras. It lies in a massive glacial cirque, almost 200 metres above Morskie Oko.
💡 In a nutshell – Czarny Staw pod Rysami in a nutshell:
- For whom: For those for whom Morskie Oko alone is not enough. Requires some fitness (steep steps).
- Difficulties: No chains or precipices. Instead, there is a 40-minute steep climb up stone steps from the shore of Morskie Oko.
- With a pushchair: No chance. You must leave the pushchair at the mountain hut at Morskie Oko.
- Pro Tip: The water in the lake seems black due to the shadow cast by the massive walls of Kazalnica and the cyanobacteria living on the bottom.
It is the perfect destination for a trip if the tarmac walk to Morskie Oko is not enough for you, but you do not yet feel ready to attack the highest Tatra peaks.
Trail description: Steps to the dark cirque
The figures at the top of the page show the route from the car park at Palenica Białczańska to Czarny Staw and back.
Stage 1: The tarmac walk
We start the trip at Palenica Białczańska. We face an 8-kilometre walk (approx. 2 h 20 min) along the red, tarmac road to the mountain hut at Morskie Oko. This is the most crowded trail in Poland. If you are walking with a pushchair, you must leave it here – a pushchair will not go any higher.
Stage 2: A walk along the lakeshore
From the hut, we set off along the red trail along the eastern shore of Morskie Oko. The crowd slowly thins out. After about 25 minutes of flat walking, we reach a massive rock threshold from which a waterfall – Czarnostawiańska Siklawa – cascades.
Stage 3: Stone steps (A sweat-inducer)
This is where the real climb begins. The path climbs sharply upwards over uneven stone steps.
- You have to overcome almost 200 metres of elevation gain over a very short distance (it takes about 30-40 minutes).
- There are no chains or precipices here, but the approach is very tiring.
- It is worth looking back every now and then – Morskie Oko looks more and more beautiful with every step!
At the lake: Why is the water “black”?
When you reach the lip of the cirque, you will see the second deepest lake in the Tatras (over 76 metres!). The water here seems almost ink-black. Why? Firstly, the lake is hidden for most of the day in deep shade cast by the massive, 500-metre walls of Kazalnica and Wołoszyn. Secondly, cyanobacteria live on the bottom of the lake, giving the water a dark hue. A raw, high-mountain climate prevails here – it is always a few degrees colder at Czarny Staw than at Morskie Oko, and the wind can be biting.
Where next? (A crossroads for the advanced)
Czarny Staw is the starting point for two extremely difficult trails:
- Left (red trail): To Rysy (the highest peak in Poland, chains, very steep).
- Right (green trail): To Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem (exposure, precipices, no chains). Do not treat either of these trails as a “spontaneous add-on” to a trip to the lake!
Who this is absolutely NOT for?
Do not go there with a pushchair – the stone steps are impassable for it. Do not bring people there who have knee problems (descending the polished, uneven steps puts a lot of strain on the joints). In winter and early spring, the trail to Czarny Staw crosses massive avalanche paths – entering there without gear and avalanche knowledge is playing with death. If you just want to eat apple pie and take a nice photo, stay on the Morskie Oko page.
Getting there, parking & buses
Trailhead logistics – reach the start smoothly without parking hassle.
Trailhead:Palenica Białczańska
Parking & car access
TPN online reservation required (e-ticket)
TPN Car Park Palenica Białczańska / Łysa Polana
Parking fee: 45–65 PLN / day (seasonal dynamic pricing via tpn.pl/bilety only)
No on-site ticket sales! QR e-tickets must be booked online in advance via tpn.pl. During peak season, slots sell out days ahead. Cars without booking are turned away at the roundabout.
Bus & transit access
Buses from Zakopane Station (towards Morskie Oko)
Route & bus stop: Main Station (Platform 1) ➔ Cyrhla ➔ Wierch Poroniec ➔ Palenica Białczańska
Fare: ~15–20 PLN one-way
Departures every 10–15 min from early morning. CAUTION on return: last buses from Palenica leave around 19:30–20:30 depending on season. Miss them, and you will need an expensive taxi.
Local buses and transit help bypass morning traffic and parking hassles.
Transport guide in the Tips section
Complete guide to Tatra car parks, buses, and TPN reservations.
Tool
🎒 What to pack? Interactive checklist
Check off items as you pack, switch between summer/winter and clear the list before your next trip. Progress is saved automatically.
What you will see
- Views of Morskie Oko from above
- The shadow of Rysy and Kazalnica
- Czarnostawiańska Siklawa
- Ink-black water
Photos from the trail
Questions
How deep is Czarny Staw pod Rysami?
About 76 m, one of the deepest lakes in the Polish Tatras. It lies at about 1583 m, almost 200 m above Morskie Oko.
Are there chains up to Czarny Staw?
No. Stone steps, 190 m of climb. The chains start higher, on Rysy — that is a different page.
Is it worth going on from Morskie Oko?
The figures at the top of the page are exactly that stretch. Morskie Oko alone has its own page. 5 h 54 min is Palenica – lake – Palenica, not “another half hour after the apple pie”.
Will a pushchair reach Czarny Staw?
No. A pushchair to the hut. The steps are impassable. Leave it below, or do not go.
Do I have to go on to Rysy?
No. The route on this page is the lake. Rysy is chains, the Przełączka and 11 h 44 min from Palenica. A separate page.
Czarny Staw pod Rysami: how long does it take?
Start: Palenica Białczańska, finish in the same place. The whole route is 19.1 km and takes 5 h 54 min of walking without breaks, with about 819 m of ascent. Add time for rests and photos.
Newsletter
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Next trail in this area
Planning your next hike? From the same starting point and area, we recommend:
#high tatras#panorama#lake
Zawrat from Five Lakes
Zawrat Pass (2158 m) from Palenica via the Five Polish Lakes Valley: 11.3 km, 4 h 45 min up, no chains. The easier side of the pass. When not to go on to Orla Perć.
⏱️ 4 h 45 min📏 11.3 km🎯 medium
View trailSimilar trails
Difficulty: ModerateWestern TatrasKasprowy Wierch
Start: Kuźnice · via High-mountain observatory (IMGW) and The highest restaurant
- 5:31 h
- Time
- 12.9 km
- Distance
- +986 m
- Ascent
- Difficulty: ModerateWestern Tatras
Kasprowy Wierch via Gąsienicowa
Start: Kuźnice · via Murowaniec hut and Hala Gąsienicowa
- 4:01 h
- Time
- 7.6 km
- Distance
- +1056 m
- Ascent
Read also
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Scenic trails around Kasprowy Wierch, from Goryczkowa to the ridges. Check the cable car, the weather, the difficulty, and a sensible plan B for a day in the Tatras.
Plan your trip
Where to stay - Bukowina TatrzańskaThe closest base for this trail. Check availability and prices in Bukowina Tatrzańska.Find a place to stay →Tickets and activitiesCable cars, thermal baths, transfers and guided trips nearby.Browse offers →
These are affiliate links. If you book a stay or a ticket through them, we earn a small commission, for coffee :), at no extra cost to you.
Before you head to the mountains
- Check the weather forecast, mountain weather changes dynamically
- Match the trail to your abilities, don't overestimate your strength
- Take appropriate equipment: comfortable hiking boots, rain jacket, warm clothing, map, charged phone, first aid kit, power bank, food and water
- Inform someone about your plans, provide the route and expected return time
- Save the emergency number GOPR/TOPR, 601 100 300 or 985
- Buy a ticket to the Tatra National Park