Czarny Staw Polski

Czarny Staw Polski (the Black Polish Pond), or simply Czarny Staw, is a glacial lake in the southern part of the Valley of the Five Polish Ponds in the High Tatras (Tatra National Park). It lies at 1,722 m, covers 12.7 ha and is 50.4 m deep — one of the deepest lakes of the Polish Tatras. To the south the steep slopes of the Liptowskie Mury, the section of the border ridge from Gładki Wierch to Kotelnica, drop to the water, while a medial moraine closes the lake off to the north. The surplus water flows in a stream to Wielki Staw Polski; on the way the stream spreads into wet meadows (młaki) with many species of marsh and peat-bog plants.

The dark colour that gave the lake its name comes from its depth and steep shores. Like its neighbours, Czarny Staw had no fish for most of its history. In the first half of the 20th century a Secchi disc was visible down to about 13 m, and after the national park was created and grazing restricted, transparency rose to 15–18 m. Brook trout were probably introduced illegally in the 1960s; the fish changed the plankton, and transparency fell to 5–7 m in the early 21st century and to 4.4 m in 2023. The large Daphnia water fleas that once dominated the plankton have disappeared.

The Valley of the Five Polish Ponds, shaped by a glacier at 1,625–1,900 m, is one of the wildest corners of the Polish Tatras. Plants rare in Poland grow here (hairy monkshood, Saussurea macrophylla, Lachenal's sedge), and it is home to bears, chamois, marmots, red deer and lynx. Livestock grazing ended here for good in the 1960s.

What to see and do

• The lake below the walls of the Liptowskie Mury — from the shore you can see Kotelnica and Gładki Wierch on the Slovak border.
• The panorama from above — from Kozi Wierch and the path to Szpiglasowa Przełęcz the lake is seen together with Wielki Staw and the Slovak Kriváň on the horizon.
• The wet meadows below the lake — marsh plants flower here in summer; keep to the path.

How to get there

First you need to reach the Valley of the Five Polish Ponds: from Palenica Białczańska along the road to Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza (Mickiewicz Waterfalls) (2.9 km), then the green trail up the Roztoka valley to Wielki Staw Polski (2 h 05 min from Wodogrzmoty). From the junction in the valley the yellow trail to Szpiglasowa Przełęcz passes Czarny Staw (1 h 45 min to the pass, 1 h 25 min down) — this is part of the Zmarzły Staw – Kozia Przełęcz – Szpiglasowa Przełęcz – Pod Mnichem route. You can also come the other way, from Morskie Oko over Szpiglasowa Przełęcz: 3 h 25 min to the Five Ponds Valley. It is a day in the high mountains with more than 700 m of ascent from Palenica; over the pass the path is partly secured with chains, so children and people without mountain experience should rather stop at Przedni Staw Polski by the hut.

Season and safety

The TPN entry ticket costs 11 zł, reduced 5.50 zł, children under 7 free; parking at Palenica Białczańska requires an e-ticket (36–75 zł online), as of October 2026. From 1 March to 30 November walking on the trails between dusk and dawn is prohibited. Swimming and washing in the lakes is not allowed; dogs, drones and tents are banned in TPN. The best time is July to September. As of 26 October 2026 TPN warns of fresh snow above the tree line; in winter the valley is avalanche-prone. TOPR mountain rescue: 985 or 601 100 300.

Nearby

• Zadni Staw Polski — the highest lake of the valley, 1,890 m.
• Przedni Staw Polski with the PTTK hut.
• Szpiglasowy Wierch — the summit above the pass to Morskie Oko.

Official website: tpn.gov.pl

Photos: Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Opioła Jerzy, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons; Karolina Zbawińska, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.