Rusinowa Polana and Wiktorówki

Rusinowa Polana (1,210 m above sea level) is probably the most beautiful viewpoint balcony in the Polish Tatras, accessible without breaking a sweat. It is a place where, with minimal effort, you get a premium panorama - the kind you would expect from a 2,000-metre peak.

It is an ideal objective for a family outing, a picnic on the grass or a photo session.

Trail description: the walking highway

We recommend starting from the Wierch Poroniec car park.

1. Approach (green trail): The trail to the meadow is a wide, comfortable forest road. It is almost flat (minimal gradient), so parents with all-terrain pushchairs, small children on balance bikes or older people will manage it easily. The walk takes about an hour.
2. The meadow: Exiting the forest is a wow moment. In front of us opens the huge wall of the High Tatras (Gerlach, Rysy, Lodowy Szczyt) and the limestone cliffs of the Bielskie Tatras (Hawrań, Murania).
3. The shepherds hut: From May to October sheep graze on the meadow (traditional pastoral grazing). In the wooden shepherds hut you can buy the freshest oscypek cheese, bundz and żentyca.

Wiktorówki: tea and peace

While on the meadow, it is worth descending (down the blue trail, about 10-15 minutes) to the Shrine of Our Lady of Jaworzyna at Wiktorówki.

• It is a charming wooden church hidden in dense forest.
• In the monastery kitchen the Dominican brothers treat hikers to free hot tea (you can leave a voluntary donation). It is a wonderful tradition that warms you on cold days.
• There is also a symbolic cemetery for mountain accident victims and a drinking-water spring.

Note: the descent to Wiktorówki goes down stairs - the pushchair must be left on the meadow.

Practical information

• Parking (critical!): The car park at Wierch Poroniec is small and very popular. In season (July, August, weekends) it fills up by 7:00-8:00 a.m. If you arrive later, you will not park (police enforce the no-parking rule on the roadside).
  • Tip: Use the minibuses going from Zakopane towards Morskie Oko (get off at the “Wierch Poroniec” stop).
• Pushchair: ONLY the green trail from Wierch Poroniec is accessible. Other trails (blue from Zazadnia or from Palenica) are full of stairs and stones.
• Winter: This is one of the safest winter routes. The road is usually cleared of snow or well packed down, ideal for a winter walk with sleds (for children).