The Perfect Half-Day Hike
If you only have a few hours in Zakopane, or if the weather is uncertain and you want a safe, beautiful walk near the city, Dolina Strążyska is the perfect choice. It plunges you immediately into a deep, mossy forest alongside a rushing mountain stream.
The Walk to the Clearing
The trail is incredibly straightforward. It follows a wide, gently sloping dirt and rock path right beside the Strążyski stream. Because it is sheltered by tall spruce trees and high rocky walls, it's a great option on hot summer days or windy afternoons.
After about 40 minutes of easy walking, the forest suddenly opens up into Polana Strążyska. From this clearing, you get an awe-inspiring, up-close view of the sheer northern cliffs of Mount Giewont. The mountain looms directly above you, looking like a sleeping knight.
The Siklawica Waterfall
While many people stop at the clearing to take photos of Giewont and drink tea, the true highlight is hidden just a bit further. Follow the yellow trail signs from the clearing.
After a slightly steeper, 15-minute rocky climb up a narrow gorge, you will reach the base of Siklawica, a beautiful 23-meter high waterfall that plunges over two distinct rocky cascades. It is one of the most accessible waterfalls in the Tatras.
Tips for Muslim Travelers
- The Tea House: There is no large restaurant here, but the historic wooden Herbaciarnia (Tea House) on the clearing serves excellent hot mountain tea with lemon, perfect for cold days.
- Prayer Space: The grassy edges of Polana Strążyska offer plenty of clean, natural space for prayer, surrounded by incredible mountain views.
- Strollers: You can push a sport-stroller to the clearing, but you will have to park it there and carry your child for the final 15-minute climb to the waterfall.
The Legend of the Sleeping Knight
Polana Strążyska is arguably the best place in the entire Tatra National Park to view the sheer, 600-meter vertical north face of Mount Giewont. Giewont is the symbol of Zakopane, and its silhouette unmistakably resembles a giant knight lying on his back.
According to Polish folklore and Highlander legend, a regiment of giant knights sleeps deep within the cavernous interior of the mountain. It is said that they will awake and rise to defend Poland only when the nation is in its greatest peril. Staring up at the sheer limestone walls from the Strążyska clearing, covered in shadows, it is easy to see how the legend was born.
Geology & The Red Szałasiska Crags
As you walk up the main valley floor, notice the towering rock formations on either side. Unlike the high granite peaks, Strążyska is cut deep into sedimentary dolomite and limestone. Some of the most striking formations are the Kominy Strążyskie (Strążyska Chimneys)—tall, jagged spires of rock that look like ancient castle towers rising from the forest.
Higher up, near the clearing, you will spot the Czerwone Skałki (Red Rocks). The strange rusty-red coloration is caused by high concentrations of iron oxide in the limestone, contrasting beautifully with the deep green of the surrounding spruce and fir forest.
Continuing the Journey: Sarnia Skała
If the 40-minute walk to the waterfall wasn't enough of a workout, Dolina Strążyska serves as the perfect launchpad for a longer hike. From Polana Strążyska, you can join the black trail (Ścieżka nad Reglami) heading east.
This trail involves a steep, 45-minute climb up through the forest to reach Sarnia Skała (Roe Deer Rock). The summit of Sarnia Skała offers a spectacular, unobstructed panorama of Zakopane on one side, and an even closer, terrifyingly sheer view of Giewont's north face on the other.
