Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy

Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw are an absolute classic of the High Tatras. It is a place you simply have to see with your own eyes. When, after an exhausting climb, you emerge from the forest into the open space, and the massive granite pyramid of Kościelec, surrounded by the sharp peaks of Orla Perć, rises before you – you forget about your fatigue. It is one of the most spectacular views in the entire Polish mountains.

💡 In a nutshell – Hala Gąsienicowa in a nutshell:

1. For whom: For anyone fit enough for a 5-hour walk. No precipices or chains.
2. Pro Tip: Do a loop! Go up via Boczań (blue trail – better views), and down via Jaworzynka (yellow trail – gentler on the knees).
3. Don’t skip the lake: Just reaching the Murowaniec hut is not enough. You must add the 35-minute walk to Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy – that’s where the real views are!
4. Winter: In winter, avoid the trail via Jaworzynka (yellow) – it crosses massive avalanche paths. Choose the safer Boczań.

The central point of the valley is the Murowaniec PTTK mountain hut - a large stone building that is busy all year round and serves as a perfect base for trips into the higher parts of the mountains.

Trail description: A loop from Kuźnice

There are two ways to reach Hala from Kuźnice. To make the trip more interesting and avoid retracing your steps, we strongly recommend doing a loop.

Stage 1: Scenic ascent via Boczań (Blue Trail)

Recommended uphill. The trail immediately climbs steeply up a forest path. After about an hour, we emerge onto the exposed ridge of Skupniów Upłaz. This is where the magic begins – on the left, a fantastic view of the Olczyska Valley opens up, while behind you towers Giewont and the panorama of Zakopane spreads out. After about 1.5 hours, we reach Przełęcz między Kopami (the Pass between the Peaks, also known as Karczmisko), where we join the yellow trail.

Stage 2: Descent to Hala and Murowaniec

From Przełęcz między Kopami, a gentle, relaxing walk across Królowa Równia awaits us. It is from here that the famous, postcard-perfect panorama of the Hala Gąsienicowa surroundings opens up, with the triangular silhouette of Kościelec right in the centre. After a dozen or so minutes, we reach the iconic Murowaniec hut.

Stage 3: A 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 and paved with a comfortable stone walkway.

The view from the lake is incomparably more majestic than from below the hut. Only here, standing on the shore of the lake, do you really feel the true scale of the mountains. The dark, almost navy-blue surface of the water (hence the name “Black Pond”) lies directly beneath the vertical, dark walls of Kościelec and the Granaty. It is an ideal place for a longer rest.

Stage 4: Descent via Jaworzynka (Yellow Trail)

Recommended downhill. After returning to Murowaniec and climbing back up to Przełęcz między Kopami, we choose the yellow trail down. It runs along the floor of the Jaworzynka Valley. It is much quieter here than on Boczań. The final section is a long, flat walk along the valley floor, which gives your knees a break after the descent.