Czarnostawiańska Siklawa (Black Lake Falls)

Czarnostawiańska Siklawa (Black Lake Falls) is a cascading waterfall in the Polish High Tatras, in the Rybi Potok Valley (Dolina Rybiego Potoku) inside Tatra National Park (TPN). It is formed by the Czarnostawiański Potok stream, which flows out of Czarny Staw pod Rysami and drains into Morskie Oko. Czarny Staw lies at 1583 m, 188 m above Morskie Oko, and is closed by a rock threshold of smooth roches moutonnées polished by the glacier. The water tumbles over this threshold in a series of cascades.

The waterfall has two main steps: the upper one directly below Czarny Staw at about 1570 m, the lower one a few dozen metres above the surface of Morskie Oko at about 1460 m. Polish Wikipedia notes that the name is used for either the upper or the lower cascades; English Wikipedia puts the total drop of the falls at about 40 m. It is not a single tall jet like Wielka Siklawa, but a chain of white streams running over granite slabs among dwarf pine.

What to see and do

• The cascades from the trail. The red trail to Czarny Staw runs a little west of the stream, so the falls are well visible on the way up — roughly halfway, they stay on your left.
• The view from the top. From the upper threshold you look down on the bowl of Morskie Oko, the forests of the Rybi Potok Valley and the ridges above it.
• The other falls of the cirque. Above the south-western shore of Morskie Oko, Dwoista Siklawa drops from the Spady threshold — in fact two waterfalls on branches of the Mnichowy Potok, which turn into ice climbs in winter. Higher up, Dymiąca Woda ("Smoking Water") falls from the threshold of the Upper Czarnostawiański Cirque into Czarny Staw — a narrow jet about 80–100 m high that Polish Wikipedia calls the highest waterfall in Poland; its name comes from the wind blowing the water apart so that the stream seems to smoke.
• Best time — June and early summer, when the snow melts and there is most water, and the days after heavy rain.

How to get there

This is a real mountain hike, although on a well-built path. From the car park at Palenica Białczańska an asphalt road leads to the PTTK hut at Morskie Oko; TPN advises allowing about 2.5 hours one way. Places in the official TPN car park are sold online for 36 to 75 zł depending on the season (as of October 2026); in season TPN electric buses run to Polana Włosienica, while horse carts only go as far as Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza.

From the hut the red trail Morskie Oko – Czarny Staw – Rysy skirts the lake (25–30 minutes; see the Around Morskie Oko path) and climbs stone steps to Czarny Staw. Signposts give 50 minutes up and 40 minutes down from the hut to Czarny Staw. The climb is steep but has no chains, so children used to the mountains manage it; take water and sun protection — there is no shade higher up.

Season and safety

Entry to TPN is paid: as of October 2026 a ticket costs 11 zł, reduced 5.50 zł; buy it at the entrance, online or via QR codes. From 1 March to 30 November walking the TPN trails between dusk and dawn is prohibited. Dogs are not allowed in this part of the park, and leaving the trail to reach the stream or swimming in the lakes is forbidden. In winter the trail to Czarny Staw is exposed to avalanches falling from the thresholds, so TPN advises going above the tree line only with experience, avalanche gear, crampons and an ice axe. TOPR rescue: 601 100 300 or 985.

Nearby

From Czarny Staw the trail continues to Rysy, the highest peak of Poland; above Morskie Oko rises Szpiglasowy Wierch, over which you can cross to the Valley of Five Polish Ponds with Przedni Staw Polski.

Photos: Guntars Mednis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Marek Mróz, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Trybus, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons; Wisniowy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.