Babia Góra
1,725 m
Poland, Slovakia
Also known as Бабя-Гура, Babia hora, +6Also known as
Бабя-Гура · Babia hora · Weiberberg · Μπάμπια Γκούρα · ბაბია-გურა · Babia Góra / Babia hora · Muntele Babia · Бабья
- Elevation
- 1,725 m
- Prominence
- 1,071 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 2
NoticeReported 20 May 2026
Perć Akademików was closed for the winter from 23 November 2025 and reopened on 20 May 2026. It closes again each winter, usually in November; check the park's tourist bulletin.
zawoja-atrakcje.pl
Routes
2The most popular and easiest way up the highest summit of the Western Beskids: from the road pass at Krowiarki (1,012 m) on the red Main Beskid Trail, through forest to the Sokolica viewpoint and then along the broad, open ridge over Kępa and Gówniak to Diablak. About 4.6 km, 720 m of ascent and 2½ hours up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 4.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +707 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,725 m
- Time Up
- 2h 56m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 59m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the car park and park information point on Przełęcz Krowiarki (1,012 m), on the road between Zawoja and Zubrzyca Górna; buy the national park ticket here or online. The red-marked trail, part of the Main Beskid Trail (Główny Szlak Beskidzki), climbs steadily through forest to Sokolica (1,367 m), a rocky viewpoint over the Zawoja valley, in about an hour. Above Sokolica the trail leaves the forest, crosses the dwarf-pine zone and follows the broad, stony ridge west over Kępa (1,521 m), Gówniak (1,617 m) and the Mały Garb humps to the summit of Diablak (1,725 m) on the Polish–Slovak border. The ridge is entirely exposed: in wind, fog or a thunderstorm it is a serious place, and the mountain is known in Polish as the 'Mother of Bad Weather'. Descend the same way (about 1¾ hours), or make a loop west to Przełęcz Brona (1,408 m), down to the PTTK hut at Markowe Szczawiny and back to Krowiarki on the blue trail (about 3 hours from the summit). The mapa-turystyczna.pl GOT timing for the ascent is 2 hours 24 minutes.
Start
Przełęcz Krowiarki1,013 m
- Buses run to Zawoja; from the Zawoja Lajkonik stop the black trail leads to Markowe Szczawiny (about 2½ hours). Public transport to the Krowiarki pass itself was not confirmed
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Przełęcz Krowiarki → Babia Góra | 4.6 | 707 | 0 | 2h 56m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Przełęcz Krowiarki1,013 m
Car park, park ticket point
- Feature: Sokolica1,365 m
Viewpoint; end of the forest
- Shoulder: Kępa1,510 m
- Shoulder: Gówniak1,652 m
- Summit: Babia Góra1,725 m
Key Passages
- Forest climb to Sokolica
- Exposed ridge over Kępa and Gówniak
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The highest summit of the Western Beskids (1,725 m), a long, bare ridge on the Polish–Slovak border that rises above the forest line in a range of wooded hills. An easy but exposed 2½-hour walk from the Krowiarki pass, or a chain-protected scramble up the north face; notorious for sudden bad weather.
Babia Góra (Slovak: Babia hora) is a massif straddling the Poland–Slovakia border in the Żywiec and Orava Beskids, and its summit, Diablak ('Devil's Peak'), is the highest point of the Western Beskids. With about 1,070 m of prominence it stands well above its neighbours; it is the only Beskid peak with a true alpine zone of dwarf pine, scree and alpine grassland. The north face falls steeply towards Zawoja, while the Slovak south side is gentler.
The Polish side is protected as Babia Góra National Park, one of the world's first UNESCO biosphere reserves (1976), with brown bears, lynx and wolves. Inside the park every visitor needs a ticket and dogs are not allowed. Several waymarked trails reach the summit: the red ridge path from the Krowiarki pass is the easiest and busiest; the yellow Perć Akademików up the north face, with chains and clamps, is the hardest marked trail in the Polish Beskids; further trails climb from the Slovak side.
Polish walkers call it 'Matka Niepogód', the Mother of Bad Weather. The summit ridge is exposed to strong winds, fog rolls in quickly, and snow can lie for more than 200 days a year. In good conditions the summit is a fine viewpoint, and sunrise ascents are popular.
Climbing Notes
In summer the red trail from Krowiarki is a straightforward hike (about 2½ hours up, 1¾ hours down) for anyone with basic fitness, but treat the open ridge with respect: take warm, windproof clothing even on a fine day, turn back in thunderstorms (a walker was killed by lightning in May 2016), and keep to the waymarks in fog. Arrive early on fine weekends, as the Krowiarki car park fills up.
The Perć Akademików suits walkers used to short chain sections; it is ascent-only and closed in winter (in 2025/26 from 23 November to 20 May). A good plan is to stay at the PTTK hut at Markowe Szczawiny, climb the Perć early and descend via Przełęcz Brona.
In winter the summit is icy and wind-blasted, the north side is avalanche terrain, and some trails close. Crampons and an ice axe are needed, and the GOPR avalanche bulletin should be checked. The park ticket (PLN 10 standard, PLN 5 reduced) is required on every trail; buy it online or at the Krowiarki and Zawoja Markowa information points.
History
The mountain is mentioned by the chronicler Jan Długosz in the 15th century; the first recorded ascent is attributed to Jowin Fryderyk Bystrzycki in 1782. Systematic exploration followed in the 19th century, and the first hut was built in 1905. The Perć Akademików was marked by Władysław Midowicz and opened in 1925. A nature reserve was set up in 1933, Babia Góra National Park in 1954 (enlarged in 1997), and the area became a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1976. Ski touring has been allowed in the park since 2022 in suitable conditions.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Winter conditions; ice, wind and avalanche risk on the north side; Perć Akademików closed
- Feb
- Winter conditions; Perć Akademików closed
- Mar
- Snow and ice on the ridge; avalanche risk
- Apr
- Lingering snow; Perć Akademików usually still closed
- May
- Snow patches; Perć Akademików reopened 20 May in 2026
- Jun
- Long days; thunderstorms possible
- Jul
- Busy at weekends; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Busy at weekends; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Often clear and stable
- Oct
- Cold nights, short days, wet and slippery trails
- Nov
- First snow; Perć Akademików closes for winter
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Babia Góra National Park entrance ticketRequired
Mandatory since 1 January 2022 for every visitor on every trail and entrance on the Polish side: PLN 10 standard, PLN 5 reduced. Sold online and at the Krowiarki and Zawoja Markowa information points and the park headquarters in Zawoja.
bgpn.gov.pl
- Hut Booking
- Book the PTTK hut at Markowe Szczawiny directly with the hut.
- Fees
- National park ticket (see permits)
- Paid parking at Przełęcz Krowiarki
- Rules
- Babia Góra National Park: stay on marked trails; no dogs (except on the Mokry Kozub path); drones only with the Park Director's permission
- Perć Akademików is one-way (ascent only) and closed in winter by park decision
- Ski routes are open only when the park declares suitable snow conditions
- Getting There
Zawoja (Poland)
Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK)
- Car: from Kraków via Sucha Beskidzka and Zawoja to the car park on Przełęcz Krowiarki
- Bus to Zawoja; from Zawoja Markowa the green trail leads to Markowe Szczawiny, and from Zawoja Lajkonik the black trail
- Slovak side: trails from the Orava region (not researched in detail)
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
- Exposure
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,180 m
Schronisko PTTK Markowe SzczawinyHutStaffed