Jaworzynka Glade

Jaworzynka is a forest-zone meadow on the floor of the valley of the same name in the Western Tatras, within Tatra National Park (TPN), right next to Kuźnice, the southern part of Zakopane. The meadow lies at 1,070–1,120 m and stretches along the valley for about 1 km. Its name comes from the sycamore maples (jawor) that once grew here. The valley is carved in limestone, so the water runs underground: the bed of the Jaworzynka stream fills only after heavy rain, and the meadow is usually remarkably quiet. The writer Stefan Żeromski wrote that he would "never forget this Jaworzyna ravine below Magura until death", and the poet Felicjan Faleński called Jaworzynka "the valley of silence, shade and fair weather".

The meadow used to be part of the large Jaworzynka shepherds' pasture, which covered the whole valley including the slopes; 18th-century documents call it Jaworzyna Łuszczkowa, after the old highland family of Łuszczek. The meadow itself was mown, while its edges and the steep slopes were grazed. The forests were almost entirely cut down, and iron ore was also mined in the valley – adits and spoil heaps can still be seen. Overgrazing destroyed the eastern slopes of Boczań and Skupniów Upłaz, which turned into scree, and Jaworzynka became the most telling example in the Tatras of damage caused by overgrazing. Their restoration began before the Second World War; planted larch and alder did best. In 1962 TPN bought the whole area from the highlanders of Murzasichle. In 1920 the first large ski jump in Poland was built on the valley slope (record: 42 m).

Today shepherds' huts stand on the meadow, on the so-called Niżnia Równia, as a reminder of the old pastoral life. Without grazing the meadow began to be overgrown: in 1955 it covered about 75 ha, and by 2004 it had shrunk by about 56%. The park therefore mows part of the meadow every year and removes young trees. Plants rare in the Carpathians grow here, such as least gagea and dioecious sedge, and natural forests survive on the valley slopes, where red deer, chamois and even brown bears are seen.

What to see and do

• The wooden huts on the flat floor of the meadow – one of the most photogenic spots near Zakopane, especially in winter under snow.
• The limestone rocks on the right-hand slope of the valley – Cyganka, Cygan, Mnich, Parzące Turnie; the 8 m Mnich rock is considered one of the hardest to climb in the Tatras.
• Silence and wildlife: early in the morning you may see red deer on the meadow.

How to get there

The yellow trail Kuźnice – Przełęcz między Kopami, one of the popular routes to Hala Gąsienicowa, crosses the meadow. The meadow lies in the lower, almost level part of the valley, right at the start of the trail from Kuźnice (1,014 m), so reaching the huts is a short and easy walk, suitable for children. The whole climb to Przełęcz między Kopami takes 1:30–1:40 up and 1:00–1:10 down; higher up the trail becomes steep and rocky. The pass can also be reached by the Turn-off to Nosalowa Pass – Przełęcz między Kopami trail.

Season and safety

Entry to TPN is paid (as of October 2026: ticket 11 PLN, reduced 5.50 PLN, 7-day 55 PLN; online at tpn.gov.pl or via the QR codes at the entrances). From 1 March to 30 November walking on TPN trails between dusk and dawn is forbidden; dogs are not allowed in the park. The huts are protected buildings – do not go inside. In winter the smooth slopes of the valley are prone to avalanches: the oldest known record of a death in an avalanche in the Tatras (1855) refers to Jaworzynka. Check the TOPR avalanche bulletin; the TOPR phone number is 601 100 300 or 985.

Nearby

A few minutes from Kuźnice are Kalatówki Glade and the summit of Nosal, while Kasprowy Wierch rises above Kuźnice.

Photos: Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Cybularny, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; ŁukaszWu, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Q'bot, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Cybularny, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Panek, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons.