Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy

The central point of the valley is the Murowaniec PTTK mountain hut - a large stone building that is busy all year round.

Trail description: a loop from Kuźnice

There are two ways to reach Hala from Kuźnice. To make the trip more interesting, we recommend a loop:

1. Ascent via Boczań (blue trail): Recommended uphill. The trail climbs the ridge, offering great views of Giewont and Zakopane. After about 1.5 hours it joins the other trail at Przełęcz między Kopami. From here, at the so-called Queen of the Meadow, opens the famous panorama of Hala Gąsienicowa, with the triangular silhouette of Kościelec in the centre.
2. Descent via Jaworzynka (yellow trail): Recommended downhill. It runs along the floor of Jaworzynka Valley. It is quieter here, and the final section is a flat walk that gives your knees a break after the descent.

Must-see: Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy

Getting to the mountain hut is only half the success. While on Hala, you must go up to Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy (blue trail, about 35 minutes from the hut).

The path is easy (stone paving), and the view from the lake is incomparably more majestic than from below the hut. Only here do you really feel the scale of the mountains - the lake lies directly beneath the vertical walls of Kościelec and the Granaty. The water has a characteristic dark colour (hence the name), caused by the shadow cast by the peaks and the presence of cyanobacteria on the stones.

Practical information

• Surface: The trail to Hala is paved with solid stone slabs. They are comfortable, but hard - good hiking boots with thick soles are essential.
• Winter: In winter, the trail via Boczań (blue) is usually safer. The Jaworzynka trail (yellow) can be avalanche-prone when slabs descend from gullies! Always check the TOPR bulletin.
• Getting there: Private cars cannot enter Kuźnice. Use minibuses running from around the Zakopane train station.