Homole Gorge

The Homole Gorge (Wąwóz Homole) is one of the most beautiful rocky gorges in Poland. It lies in the Little Pieniny, in the Lemko village of Jaworki near Szczawnica. It is only about 800 m long, but along this short stretch the Kamionka stream forces its way between limestone walls up to 120 m high, forming cascades and piles of huge boulders. Researchers derive the name from the Rusyn word "homola", meaning "rounded, hornless", a reference to the shape of the valley. Since 1963 the gorge has been a landscape nature reserve; in 2026 its area was enlarged from 58.64 to 91.16 ha. The reserve is on state land managed by the Krościenko forest district and is not part of Pieniny National Park.

The rocks are Jurassic and Cretaceous limestones; the reddish tint of some walls shows their iron content. Treasure hunters searched the gorge from the 15th century, and a document of 1529 mentions an abandoned castle called "Castrum Homola". In 1988 archaeologists did find traces of a stronghold here, protected by the rocks and a water-filled ditch, along with 16th-century bricks and pottery. Before the reserve was created, sheep grazed here: they could not escape from the steep gorge, so shepherds did not need to watch them. Today the slopes are covered with juniper and mixed forest, and rare lime-loving plants grow on the rocks; nine protected species have been recorded in the reserve, including yew and martagon lily.

What to see

• The rocks at the entrance — Wapiennik, the Grzebień ridge, Niska Skała (70 m) and the tallest, Wysoka Skała (120 m); opposite rises Prokwitowska Homola with old shafts where people once searched for gold.
• The Kamionka cascades — the path crosses the stream several times on metal and wooden footbridges.
• Dubantowska Glade — a clearing with benches above the gorge and the "Stone Books" rocks, in which, according to local legend, the fates of people are written until the end of the world.
• Wysoka (1050 m) — the highest peak of the Pieniny, which you can continue to on the same green trail.

Practical information

Jaworki is a few kilometres from the centre of Szczawnica along a local road, and minibuses run there. The entrance to the gorge is right by the road at the edge of the village and marked with a large information board; there are private paid car parks nearby. A green-marked trail starts at the entrance: a walk through the gorge to Dubantowska Glade is an unhurried hour to an hour and a half there and back. According to guidebooks, the whole route Jaworki — Homole — Wysoka takes about 1 h 45 min up and 1 h 15 min back. The path is wide in the lower part and steeper higher up, with wooden steps and handrails; after rain the stones are slippery, so wear shoes with a good grip. For families with children this is one of the most pleasant walks in the Pieniny, but pushchairs have to be left at the entrance.

The official website of Szczawnica municipality states that entry to the gorge is free, but dogs are not allowed. By the entrance stands a booth that looks like a ticket office — in season it may serve as an information point. Reserve rules apply: stay on the path, no fires and no picking plants. The gorge is lovely from spring to autumn; it is busiest in summer and at weekends. You can return a different way, via Bukowinki, from where a gravel road (about 30 minutes) or a chairlift takes you down to Jaworki. Information as of October 2026.

Nearby

The nearest town is the spa of Szczawnica, where the Dunajec raft trip ends. From Wysoka there is a good view of Trzy Korony across the Dunajec.

Official website: szczawnica.pl

Photos: Marek Mróz, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Wanda Cyculeńko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Hanc Tomasz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Krzysztof Bergier, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.