Sarnia Skała

Sarnia Skała (1,377 m a.s.l.) is one of the most popular foothill summits in the Tatras. It gives the feeling of being in the high mountains without requiring iron stamina. From its summit, you look the massive Giewont straight in the “face” — nowhere else does the Sleeping Knight seem so close!

💡 In a nutshell – Quick trail summary:

1. For whom: Perfect for a warm-up, for families with older children (6+ years), or for a short 3-hour trip.
2. Difficulties: No chains, but watch out for very polished rocks at the very summit (especially after rain!).
3. Logistics: Do a loop (up Strążyska, down Białego) so you don’t return the same way. Both valley mouths are connected by the flat, 15-minute Droga pod Reglami, so you can easily walk back to your car.

Trail description: A loop through two valleys

The figures at the top of the page show the most interesting variant of this trip: a loop starting in Dolina Strążyska and ending in Dolina Białego. This way you do not return the same way.

Stage 1: Warm-up in Dolina Strążyska

We start at the mouth of Dolina Strążyska (red trail). It is a wide, comfortable avenue that takes us to Polana Strążyska in 40 minutes. You will find the famous tea house here and a beautiful view of Giewont. It is a great place to rest (you can also walk 10 minutes from here to the Siklawica waterfall).

Stage 2: Sharp approach to the pass

From the meadow, we join the black trail, known as the Path above the Regle (Ścieżka nad Reglami). This is where the real mountain approach begins.

• The path climbs steeply up through forest zigzags.
• The approach takes about 40-50 minutes and can make you sweat, but technically it is very easy (there are no chains here).
• We emerge onto Czerwona Pass, where you can sit on benches and catch your breath.

Stage 3: Summit push (Rocks and a drop)

From Czerwona Pass, a short (10-minute) rocky path leads to the very summit of Sarnia Skała.

• The summit itself is a bare rock sticking out of the forest. There is quite little space here, and a steep drop falls away on one side.
• Watch out for the limestone: The rocks on the summit are very polished. After rain, it gets dangerously slippery here!

Stage 4: Descent through a “lunar” gorge

From Czerwona Pass, we descend the other way (black, then yellow trail) into Dolina Białego. This is a completely different landscape: we walk along the floor of a deep, forested gorge, crossing the stream on wooden bridges. The trail ends near the Wielka Krokiew ski jump.