Hala Rysianka

Hala Rysianka is a large mountain glade in the Żywiec Beskids, on the eastern and south-eastern slopes of the Rysianka peak. It stretches from roughly 1,150 to 1,260 m, and the hut in its upper part stands at 1,290 m. The name, like that of the mountain, comes from the lynx (ryś). Although the glade still lies within the upper montane forest belt, it has long been called a "hala" — in the Beskids the word refers to pastures once used by shepherds. Nearby, on the slopes of Romanka, are the "Romanka" and "Pod Rysianką" nature reserves.

Rysianka is considered one of the most scenic pastures of the Beskids. From here you can see the Pilsko massif, Babia Góra and, in good weather, the Tatras and the Malá Fatra in Slovakia. The southward view is best in late autumn and winter, when the air is clear and the Tatras stand like a white wall above the forests.

The hut on the pasture has an unusual history. In 1936 Gustaw Pustelnik, then tenant of the hut on neighbouring Hala Lipowska, bought a share in the jointly owned pasture, fenced off a plot in its upper part himself and started building what was supposed to be a farm building but quickly became a three-storey house. Tourist organisations and local villagers protested, the authorities even ordered its demolition, but the Tatra Skiers' Society from Kraków saved it. The hut was formally opened on 16 May 1937. During the Second World War Wehrmacht soldiers rested here, and in summer 1943 Home Army partisans raided the building twice, taking food and weapons. After the war the Polish Tatra Society repaired the damaged hut and reopened it on 25 May 1947; later PTTK took it over. Today the outbuilding houses a GOPR mountain rescue duty point.

What to see and do

• The view south — Pilsko with Mechy and Trzy Kopce, Babia Góra and, on clear days, the Tatras, the Low Tatras and the Malá Fatra.
• Neighbouring Hala Lipowska — just 15 minutes' walk away, with a wooden cross and a chapel where services for shepherds were once held.
• The Rysianka summit (1,322 m according to Wikidata) and the ridge to Romanka — short walks from the pasture.

How to get there

Several marked trails lead to Rysianka. The shortest is from Złatna Huta: the trail Złatna Huta – Rysianka takes about 2 h up and 1 h down. From Sopotnia Wielka (Kolonia), where a waterfall also roars, the climb takes 2 h 15 min (1 h 40 min down), from Żabnica Skałka 2 h 25 min (1 h 30 min down), and from Hala Boracza via Hala Lipowska 2 h (1 h 30 min down). The red Main Trail of Beskidy crosses the pasture: 45 min from the Trzy Kopce peak and about 2 h 30 min from Hala Miziowa below Pilsko according to the PTTK signpost. All approaches are moderate mountain forest paths without exposed sections, fine for children used to hikes of several hours.

Season and safety

The pasture lies outside any national park and there is no entry fee (as of October 2026). The best seasons are summer and autumn for hiking and clear winter days for the views. On the open ridges of the Żywiec Beskids the weather changes quickly, and in fog it is easy to lose the path, so keep to marked trails. The GOPR mountain rescue number is 985 or 601 100 300.

Nearby

Further west is Hala Lipowska, to the east Hala Miziowa, and in the valley below Rysianka the Sopotnia Wielka Falls. The trail Hala Rysianka – Złatna Huta descends on the western side of the ridge.

Photos: No machine-readable author provided. Dawidbernard~commonswiki assumed (based..., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons; Adrian Tync, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; wladek, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Pudelek, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Joa at Polish Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.