Palenica Białczańska – Morskie Oko
Trail map
Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences
About the trail
Route Palenica Białczańska – Morskie Oko. Has red marking (regional route). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
Officially marked regional tourist route. The marking is red, the sign is a horizontal stripe on a white background. The length of the route is 7.8 km. Location: mountain range — High Tatras, Slovakia. The route is in the Tatra National Park (TANAP): high-altitude sections are closed from November 1 to June 15 — check the current dates at tanap.sk before heading out.
At a glance
A short route of 7.8 km with 417 m of ascent from Palenica Białczańska to Morskie Oko. Estimated walking time: about 2.5 h, not counting stops. Difficulty: easy. Waymarking: red.
Route stages
- 0–4.5 kmGentle ups and downs at 990–1,170 m
- 4.5–8 kmClimb of 240 m to Morskie Oko Hut
Steepest kilometre: km 4.5–5.5, a climb of 120 m (≈12%).
Water and overnight stays
Springs near the trail: at km 5 and 6.5.
Huts and shelters near the trail: Roztoka Hut (km 3.5), Morskie Oko Hut (km 7.5).
When to go
Best time: May to October. In winter deep snow is possible, so experience and winter gear are needed.
Getting there
Start: Palenica Białczańska. This is a one-way route: the finish is 6 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.
FAQ
- How long does the route take?
- Estimated walking time: about 2.5 h, not counting stops.
- Is there water on the route?
- Springs near the trail: at km 5 and 6.5.
- Where can I stay overnight?
- Huts and shelters near the trail: Roztoka Hut (km 3.5), Morskie Oko Hut (km 7.5).
Water and shelter on the route
- Roztoka Hutkm 3.2 from the start · 220 m off the path · Standing · 1 031 m
- Drinking water below Roztocka Czubakm 4.8 from the start · Not verified · 1 212 m
- Spring below Czuba nad Ubocząkm 5.4 from the start · Not verified · 1 294 m
- Wrzące Springkm 6.6 from the start · 60 m off the path · Not verified · 1 371 m
- Morskie Oko Hutkm 7.7 from the start · Standing · 1 410 m
Comments
Trails nearby
All trails
HardMulti-dayMarkedTatranská Lomnica Lysá PoľanaElevation profile853–2 268 m27.3 kmascent 1 415 m≈ 9.5 h walking
ModerateOne-dayMarkedHut in the Valley of Five Lakes Hut at Morskie OkoElevation profile1 398–1 875 m4.6 kmascent 213 m≈ 1.5 h walking
ModerateOne-dayMarkedPod Mnichem Junction to Szpiglasowa PassElevation profile1 409–1 794 m2.3 kmascent 8 m≈ 30 min walkingCraft nearby
All craft places
Cheese dairies & pasturesShepherd's Hut on Rusinowa PolanaBrzegi1.3 km from the trailRusinowa Polana is one of the most beautiful mountain glades in the Polish Tatras, and from May to October it is home to the bacówka (shepherd's hut) of baca Stanisław...
Cheese dairies & pasturesU Jancoka Shepherd's Hut, Brzegi: oscypek from Poland's first female bacaBrzegi7.4 km from the trailThe U Jancoka shepherd's hut (bacówka) stands beside regional road 960, which runs from Bukowina Tatrzańska to the Łysa Polana border crossing, in the village of Brzegi.
Water parks & thermal poolsTermy BukovinaBukowina Tatrzańska7.9 km from the trailTermy Bukovina is a modern thermal pool complex in Bukowina Tatrzańska, a village lying about a thousand metres above sea level on the edge of the Tatra National Park.
Crafts & workshopsDrewutnia, Bukowina Tatrzańska: glass painting workshops and highland furnitureBukowina Tatrzańska8.6 km from the trailDrewutnia ("the woodshed") calls itself a "shop for cultural needs". It is the family business of the Kuchtas of Bukowina Tatrzańska, who say they have lived here...
Cheese dairies & pasturesFurtek's Shepherd's Huts, Kuźnice and KalatówkiZakopane9.1 km from the trailAbove Kuźnice — the southern edge of Zakopane where most hikes into the Western and High Tatras begin — the flocks are tended by baca Andrzej Staszel, nicknamed "Furtek".
Koliby & Hutsul cuisineBąkowo Zohylina Wyźnio Highland TavernZakopane11 km from the trailBąkowo Zohylina Wyźnio is a regional highland tavern in Zakopane housed in a wooden "szałas" (shepherd-hut-style building) with a view of the Tatras.