Babia Góra

Why visit?

Babia Góra — its summit Diablak rises to 1,725 m — is the Queen of the Beskids: the highest peak of the Beskid Żywiecki range and of the whole Western Beskids, towering alone above the surrounding ridges. For centuries it commanded respect: the summit's name (literally 'Devil's Peak'), folk tales of devils and witches, and notoriously fickle weather — storms, mists and fierce winds — gave the massif a reputation for danger. Today it attracts visitors above all with its views: in fine weather the bare summit dome offers a panorama stretching from the Tatras to Śnieżka in the Karkonosze. The whole massif is protected by the Babia Góra National Park, established in 1954 — one of Poland's smaller parks (about 34 km²), covering the subalpine and alpine belts with dwarf mountain pine and rare mountain plants. As early as 1977 Babia Góra joined the first world group of biosphere reserves of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme. Trails lead among others along the Akademicy Path, a chained route regarded as pioneering in the Carpathians, laid out over a century ago by Kraków's academic community. The classic ascent from Zawoja Markowa or the Krowiarki Pass, together with the descent, takes 6–8 hours — a demanding walk, so start early in the morning, carry enough water and a warm layer (it can be cold on the summit even in summer). The best period is June to September; in winter the massif becomes avalanche-prone and demands experience and equipment. In the park you may move only along marked trails, and the local mountain rescue service watches over safety. The effort is rewarded with one of the widest panoramas in the Polish Beskids.

What you’ll see

• Diablak 1725 m — najwyższy szczyt Beskidów Zachodnich
• Rezerwat biosfery UNESCO już od 1977 roku
• Perć Akademików — łańcuchowa droga o pionierskim rodowodzie
• Panoramy od Tatr po Śnieżkę w Karkonoszach
• Piętro alpejskie z kosodrzewiną i rzadkimi roślinami

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