Połonina Caryńska

Połonina Caryńska (also called Berehowska) is a mountain massif and alpine meadow in the Western Bieszczady, between the valleys of the Prowcza and the Wołosaty, where Brzegi Górne and Ustrzyki Górne lie. The massif has four summits, the highest being Kruhly Wierch (1,297 m); the others reach 1,245, 1,239 and 1,148 m. The south-western slopes are short and steep, the north-eastern ones are gentle ridges cut by stream valleys. The whole meadow is protected within Bieszczady National Park.

The name comes from the vanished village of Caryńskie that lay at its foot. The pastures on the tops also belonged to Berehy Górne, Bereżki and Ustrzyki Górne, and even between the world wars cattle were grazed here intensively. Today the former pastures are grassy meadows with species rare in Poland: alpine Tozzia, Dacian sedge, and East Carpathian and Bukovinian monkshoods.

What to see and do

• The panorama — one of the widest in the Bieszczady: Wielka Rawka, Połonina Wetlińska and the highest peaks of the Polish Bieszczady, Tarnica and Halicz. In very clear air you can see the Gorgany in Ukraine (over 100 km away) and even the Tatras (almost 180 km).
• The Main Beskid Trail Ustrzyki Górne – Połonina Caryńska – Brzegi Górne: 3 h 20 min by the signposted time. This is the classic day walk, after which you can return by bus or other transport along the road between the villages.
• The route via Przysłup Caryński (795 m), with the student hut "Koliba" and a GOPR rescue point, then on to Przełęcz Wyżniańska and Mała Rawka — about 4 hours.
• The "Common Beech" nature trail along the footpaths — about beech woods and meadow vegetation.

Practical information

There are four entrances with BdPN ticket points: from Ustrzyki Górne, from Brzegi Górne, from Bereżki via the Przysłup pass and from Przełęcz Wyżniańska. Next to them are the park's paid car parks — 30 zł per day for a car. The way to the ridge is a climb of several hours through forest with an ascent of over 500 m; the top is open and windy with no shelter, so mountain boots, water and warm clothes are needed; families with small children may prefer to walk only part of the route. Trails in the park are paid all year round: under the director's order of 9 March 2026, 11 zł, reduced 5.5 zł, children under 7 free; the ticket is valid on all park trails on the same day. Walking is allowed only from sunrise to sunset; dogs are allowed only on the sections from Nasiczne and Bereżki to Przysłup Caryński (on a lead and muzzled), drones are banned. In winter trails can be icy, and separate descent corridors are marked for skiers, including from Połonina Caryńska to Ustrzyki Górne and to Przełęcz Wyżniańska. The best time is May to October. Information as of October 2026.

Nearby

To the west, beyond Przełęcz Wyżna, is Połonina Wetlińska with the Chatka Puchatka shelter. About 10 km to the north is the UNESCO-listed wooden church in Smolnik. Further away, near Cisna, runs the Bieszczady Forest Railway.

Official website: bdpn.gov.pl

Photos: Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Lech_Darski, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.