Wielka Puszcza

Bielsko County · Silesian Voivodeship · Poland

Wielka Puszcza is a hamlet of the village of Porąbka in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It is located in the valley of the stream of the same name, in the Little Beskids mountains, at the foot of Trzonka, Okrągiełek, Kocierz, and Wielka Bukowa, on the border of the Silesian and Lesser Poland voivodeships (Beskid Targanicki Pass).

From 1975 to 1998, Wielka Puszcza was part of Bielsko Voivodeship. During World War II, the forests surrounding the hamlet were a base for the Home Army (AK) partisan unit "Garbnik".

The area is known as a tourist base for hiking in the mountains. The green trail from Porąbka to Kocierska Pass runs nearby, from where other trails lead to Andrychów, Wadowice, or to Mount Żar. The surroundings attract visitors with natural landscapes, mountain streams, and proximity to Międzybrodzkie Lake.

Visitors can choose from many hiking trails, such as "Straconka – Międzybrodzie Bialskie", "Kozy – Żarnówka Mała (yellow trail)", or "Lipnik – Cisowa Pass". Peaks in the area include Żar, Czupel, Łamana Skała, and Leskowiec. There are several mountain huts nearby: Schronisko pod Potrójną, PTTK Leskowiec, Grobacza Łąka, and Gibasówka (u Stacha and Lutecja). Notable sights include Międzybrodzkie Lake and the "Żywiec" brewery shop in the Żywiec Basin.

Getting there from Ukraine

Lviv – Żywiec ≈412 km, ≈5 h 30 min without queues or tolls: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków (≈249 km) → DK52 via Wadowice → DW781 and DW946 to Żywiec. ≈333 km, ≈4 h from the border. Alternative via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice and the S1 via Tychy and Bielsko-Biała: ≈457 km, ≈5 h 25 min.

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

Trails nearby

All trails
Gaiki – Sucha BeskidzkaHardMulti-dayMarkedGaiki Sucha BeskidzkaElevation profile301–896 m51 kmascent 2 273 munder 1 km from the centrePorąbka – Kiczera – Bukowska PassModerateOne-dayMarkedPorąbka Bukowska Passvia KiczeraElevation profile301–827 m10.3 kmascent 755 m≈ 4 h walking1 km from the centreMały Szlak BeskidzkiHardMulti-dayMarkedMały Szlak BeskidzkiElevation profile282–1 022 m134.7 kmascent 5 091 m1.5 km from the centreFrys Family TrailModerateTwo-dayMarkedFrys Family TrailElevation profile398–910 m17.1 kmascent 849 m≈ 6 h walking2.3 km from the centrePorąbka – Przełęcz BukowskaEasyOne-dayMarkedPorąbka Przełęcz BukowskaElevation profile293–670 m7 kmascent 375 m≈ 2.5 h walking2.4 km from the centreTarganice Nowa Wieś – Przełęcz KocierskaEasyOne-dayMarkedTarganice Nowa Wieś Przełęcz KocierskaElevation profile461–753 m3.1 kmascent 292 m≈ 1.5 h walking2.5 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
ŻarPeakŻarMiędzybrodzie Żywieckiealtitude 761 m4.9 km from the centreŻar is a 761 m mountain in the Little Beskids in southern Poland, above Lake Międzybrodzie on the Soła river.Łamana SkałaPeakŁamana SkałaLasaltitude 929 m8.2 km from the centreŁamana Skała (on many maps also called Madohora) is a 929 m mountain in the Little Beskids (Beskid Mały) in southern Poland.CzupelPeakCzupelMiędzybrodzie Bialskiealtitude 930 m9.8 km from the centreCzupel is the highest summit of the Little Beskids at 930 m; the latest geodetic and LiDAR measurements give 931 m, and some publications quote 933 m.LeskowiecPeakLeskowiecRzykialtitude 922 m11 km from the centreLeskowiec is a 922 m summit in the eastern part of the Little Beskids, in the Łamana Skała range of southern Poland.Jałowiec (Jałowiec Range)PeakJałowiec (Jałowiec Range)Koszarawaaltitude 1 111 m20 km from the centreJałowiec is a 1,111 m summit, the highest of the Jałowiec Range north of the Babia Góra massif in Poland.Czerniawa SuchaPeakCzerniawa SuchaZawojaaltitude 1 062 m21 km from the centreCzerniawa Sucha (also Suchy Groń or Sucha Góra) is a 1,062 m summit on the main ridge of the Jałowiec Range, north of the Babia Góra massif.

What to visit

All
Lake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie)LakeLake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie)Międzybrodzie Bialskie6.4 km from the centreLake Międzybrodzie (Jezioro Międzybrodzkie), or the Międzybrodzie Reservoir, is an artificial lake on the Soła river in the Beskid Mały (Little Beskids), in the...Lake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)LakeLake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie)Żywiec11 km from the centreLake Żywiec (Jezioro Żywieckie), also known as the Tresna Reservoir, is a large artificial lake on the Soła river beside the town of Żywiec, on the boundary of the...Żywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkCastleŻywiec castles: Old Castle, Habsburg Palace and parkŻywiec13 km from the centreIn the very centre of Żywiec, two residences of the former lords of the Żywiec estate stand side by side — the Old Castle and the Habsburg Palace, or New Castle —...Żywiec Brewery MuseumMuseumŻywiec Brewery MuseumŻywiec17 km from the centreThe Żywiec Brewery Museum (Muzeum Browaru Żywiec) is one of the largest and most modern brewing museums in Poland, in the town of Żywiec between the Silesian and...Aquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Water parks & thermal poolsAquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Leśna17 km from the centreAquapark Leśna (also called Aquapark Żywiec) is a swimming-pool complex in the village of Leśna, a few kilometres from Żywiec, in the Żywiec Basin, surrounded by the...Sopotnia Wielka FallsWaterfallSopotnia Wielka FallsSopotnia Wielka23 km from the centreSopotnia Wielka Falls (Wodospad w Sopotni Wielkiej) is the largest waterfall in the Polish Beskids. It drops on the Sopotnia stream right in the centre of the village...

Craft nearby

All craft places
Browar Zarzecze in the Żywiec Basin: craft brewery shopCraft beer & breweriesBrowar Zarzecze in the Żywiec Basin: craft brewery shopZarzecze12 km from the centreBrowar Zarzecze works in the village of Zarzecze near Pietrzykowice in the Żywiec Basin — a region where beer has been brewed since at least the 19th century and home...Folk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureMarkets & fairsFolk Art Fair in Żywiec during the Beskidy Week of CultureŻywiec13 km from the centreThe Beskidy Highlanders' Week of Culture (Tydzień Kultury Beskidzkiej, TKB) is Poland's largest folklore festival: it was first held in Wisła in 1964, and today, at...PINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomCraft beer & breweriesPINTA Brewery, Wieprz near Żywiec: tours and taproomWieprz18 km from the centrePINTA is the brewery that Poles associate with the start of the “beer revolution”; it calls itself the country's first craft brewery.

Spas and thermal pools nearby

Aquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Water parks & thermal poolsAquapark Leśna (Żywiec)Leśna17 km from the centreAquapark Leśna (also called Aquapark Żywiec) is a swimming-pool complex in the village of Leśna, a few kilometres from Żywiec, in the Żywiec Basin, surrounded by the...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

674 mMountain shelterHut of the Mountain Tourism Club "Limba"Little Beskids · PolandStanding90 m from a trailStaffed
800 mMountain shelterHut under PotrójnaLittle Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailStaffed
802 mMountain shelterGibasówka Hut (at Stach's)Little Beskids · PolandStandingOn a trailStaffed
805 mMountain shelterGibasówka Hut (Lutecja)Little Beskids · PolandStanding60 m from a trailSleeps up to 17Staffed
669 mSpringSpring below Porębski GrońLittle Beskids · PolandNot verifiedOn a trailMarked as drinkable
640 mSpringSpring below TrzonkaLittle Beskids · PolandNot verifiedOn a trail

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Krakovets – Korczowa — road, 24/7
  • Shehyni – Medyka — road, 24/7 Pedestrian crossing is not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service — check dpsu.gov.ua before the trip.
  • Smilnytsia – Krościenko — road, 24/7
  • Hrushiv – Budomierz — road, 24/7
  • Mostyska – Przemyśl (rail) — rail, 24/7

By car

Lviv – Żywiec ≈412 km, ≈5 h 30 min without queues or tolls: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków (≈249 km) → DK52 via Wadowice → DW781 and DW946 to Żywiec. ≈333 km, ≈4 h from the border. Alternative via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice and the S1 via Tychy and Bielsko-Biała: ≈457 km, ≈5 h 25 min.

Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.

What's nearby