Leading up to the shelter

Additionally, you can find out whether you’re in the right place by locating a large parking lot on the border of Eight Village Community. This is the start of the trail leading to Chocholowska Valley. Please note that you will have to pay for a ticket at the entrance (ticket from TPN is invalid here!). Immediately after the entrance we see a very broad glade called Siwa Polana (Gray Glade). The right side is dominated by old wooden houses in which you can purchase the Oscypek sheep cheese. Events and festivities are often organized in these huts. On our left we see the cross monument commemorating Pope John Paul II’s visit and meeting with former president Lech Walesa in the Chocholowska Valley.

There are other commemorative plaques deeper into the valley. Follow the tarmac road for about 15 minutes until you get to the point where a wide grassy glade, surrounded by dense forest, becomes narrow. Continue for around half an hour to reach the Huciska Glade, where we find the second bike rental point. Bicycles make access easier as the entire valley stretches 11km or just over 6 miles. Huciska Glade marks the end of the tarmac road and a semi-stone road continues alongside Chochołowski Potok (Chocholowski Brook) which flows to our right hand side. Following this route, we reach the narrowing valley called Niżnia Brama Chochołowska (Lower Chocholowska Gate). Here, on the left side of the gate, we see a medallion commemorating the visit of the Pope and a plaque commemorating the anti-Austrian uprising that Chocholow residents survived in 1846. Continuing onwards, we have the opportunity to admire some very old cottages and shepherd’s huts located in a clearing called Polana Pod Jawory. Approximately 10 minutes drive from the glade, we come to an intersection where our path crosses the black trail running perpendicular to it, called Sciezka nad Reglami. Next we cross the second gate called the Wyżnia Brama Chochołowska (Upper Chocholowska Gate).We pass a building belonging to the TPN, which once served as a shelter.

After about an hour long walk, starting from the intersection of the black trail, we come to the second junction where the yellow trail cuts into the forest. Yellow signs will lead us to the Iwaniacka Przełęcz (Iwaniacka Pass), from which we can admire a beautiful view of Kominiarski Wierch. From Iwaniacka Pass we have many hiking options, which are described throughout this section of the site. The two great deciduous trees on the left side of the road behind a wooden hut, which can be clearly distinguished in the winter from the evergreen trees surrounding them, are a local landmark. In the winter, they are beautifully coated with frost which makes the trees’ appearance truly unique.From this junction, our trail becomes tougher, the approach becomes steeper, and the road slowly arches to the right. We come to the third intersection. Off to the left, red trail onto Trzydniowianski Wierch. We continue ahead, however, until the forest ends and Polana Chochołowska (Chocholowska Glade) begins. From here you can see the peaks known as Mnichy Chocholowskie.

The “Monks” are clustered, vertically protruding rocks, their appearance resembling rocky steeples. In the distance, we see Rakon, Wolowiec and a huge pyramid (Starorobocianski Wierch, so called due to the shape of the mountain seen from this distance).There are very old wooden shepherd’s huts scattered all over the Chocholowska Glade, which are sites of World Heritage. All the buildings are protected by law. On the right side we find the St. John the Baptist chapel, where scenes for the movie “Janosik” were filmed. Masses are held here and many pilgrims visit the sanctuary annually. Additionally, in the spring Chocholowska Glade pulls thousands of tourists, as crocuses grow so thickly, they turn the grass into a violet and white carpet. St. John the Baptist chapel is the perfect place to observe all the two-thousanders. At the end of Chocholowska Glade and thus Chocholowska Valley, we reach the largest Tatra shelter, located at a height of 1148 m asl.

BACK TO Chocholowska Valley