Wielki Staw Polski

The deepest lake in the Tatras

Wielki Staw Polski (the Great Polish Lake) lies in the High Tatras, in the Valley of the Five Polish Lakes, at 1,665 m, below the slopes of the Miedziane ridge. According to measurements from 1934 it covers 34.14 ha and is 79.3 m deep (a later sounding found 80.3 m). It is the deepest and longest (998 m) lake in the Tatras and the third deepest in Poland. It holds about 13 million cubic metres of water — roughly a third of the water in all Tatra lakes. An old guidebook wrote that the whole of Kraków's St Mary's Church could hide in its depths, with only the crown on its roof showing above the water.

The basin was carved in the Pleistocene by glaciers converging here from several side valleys. The water is green and very clear and stays below 11 °C even in summer. The lake drains into the Roztoka stream, which just below forms Wielka Siklawa. Above the right-hand shore rises Kozi Wierch (2,291 m), the highest peak lying entirely within Poland. Above the north-western shore, at about 1,725 m, stands the oldest shepherd's hut in the Tatras, mentioned as early as the 17th century and restored in 1986.

What to see and do

• The shore at the Roztoka outflow — from here you see the whole lake against the peaks.
• The Valley of the Five Polish Lakes — besides Wielki Staw it holds Mały, Przedni, Czarny and Zadni Staw.
• The PTTK hut in the Valley of the Five Polish Lakes on the shore of Przedni Staw (1,671 m) — the highest-situated hut in Poland and the only one not reachable by car. The first hut here dates from 1876 and the present building opened in 1953; it has its own hydroelectric plant and sewage treatment.
• A loop to Morskie Oko over the Opalony Wierch ridge (1,855 m) and the Świstówka hollow: according to TPN the whole route from Palenica Białczańska is about 20 km, with views of Rysy and the Mięguszowieckie peaks.

Practical information

Getting there. The most popular way is from Palenica Białczańska along the Morskie Oko road to Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza (about 50 minutes), then up the green trail through the Roztoka Valley past Wielka Siklawa. From Wodogrzmoty to the lake it is about 2 hours up and 1.5–1.7 hours down; the height gain from Palenica is roughly 700 m. Beyond the gentle road this is a real mountain trail with stones and wet slabs, so it is not suitable for pushchairs and requires good footwear and fitness. Allow at least 6–7 hours for the round trip.

Parking and tickets. The TPN car parks at Palenica Białczańska and Łysa Polana admit only cars with an e-ticket bought in advance on the TPN website (36–75 zł online). Since 1 September 2026 horse carts run from Palenica to Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza. The TPN entry ticket costs 11 zł.

Safety and rules. As of 23 October 2026 TPN warns of fresh snow and ice above the tree line: go there only with experience, crampons, an ice axe and a helmet. In winter the area is prone to avalanches. TPN advises against drinking from or bathing in streams and lakes. From 1 March to 30 November trails may not be used between dusk and dawn; dogs and drones are banned in TPN.

Nearby

• Wielka Siklawa — Poland's highest waterfall, just below the lake.
• Morskie Oko — via Świstówka.
• Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy — another large glacial lake on the other side of Kozi Wierch.

Official website: tpn.gov.pl

Photos: Faxe, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Aneta Pawska, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Aneta Pawska, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons; Cybularny, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; Rafik k, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Krzysztof Dudzik-Górnicki (User:ToSter), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.