Kościelec and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy Hike from Zakopane: A Complete Guide
- Margaux
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 29
The hike from Kuźnice to Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy and Kościelec is a popular trail in Tatra National Park, and for good reason. The stunning Hala Gąsienicowa and lake will blow your mind, and if you head up to Kościelec, the view from the top is incredible. For this trail, I recommend following the All Trails route called ‘Kuznice - Koscielec’. This guide will tell you how to get to the trailhead from Zakopane, what to expect on the trail, how to prepare, and more top tips and advice for making the most of this hike. It’s a must-do in the Polish Tatras!
Contents
Hike Stats
Time: 5.5 hours
Distance: 17.9km
Elevation gain: 1412m
How to get to the Kościelec Trailhead from Zakopane
The trailhead of this hike is in Kuźnice, the bottom of the main cable car in Zakopane. You can get there by using the city buses, tourist shuttle buses, taxi, or walking.
The city bus will be one of your cheapest options. You can pay by cash or card on the bus when you get on - there are machines onboard. A one-way journey costs 6 PLN (approx. £1.20), or you can buy a 24 hour ticket for 8 PLN (approx. £1.60). Make sure you validate the ticket on the bus.
The tourist shuttle buses leave from Zakopane central bus station and go to Kuźnice every 10 minutes or so. While there is a timetable, it is not very accurate in the summer as they put on multiple buses and they just cycle around. It’s not a long drive, so you won’t be waiting long. These buses are cash only, and you normally pay the driver when you get off the bus. The tickets cost 5 PLN (approx. £1) one-way.
Uber and Bolt are the main taxis in Zakopane, and they are very cheap as well. If you’re planning on starting this hike early in the morning, this will be your best option. I paid 17 PLN (approx. £3.30) for a 5 minute drive at 5:15am, which I thought was very reasonable.
Depending on where you are staying, you can also walk to Kuźnice. Just follow Google Maps to get you there.
What to Expect on the Hike
Before you start the hike from Kuźnice, you will need to pay the National Park entry fee. This costs 11 PLN (approx. £2.20) for one adult per day, or 45 PLN (approx. £9) for a week. You can buy these online in advance, but in my experience, paying at the Park entrance was very straightforward. You can use cash or card.
When you get to the entrance to the Park, I recommend following the All Trails route by starting to your left rather than straight ahead. It’s a much more manageable incline both on the way up and on the way down. Keep this rule for the whole of your hike, so that you are always going ‘clockwise’ when you have the option.
The hike begins with a steady climb up to Hala Gąsienicowa, a beautiful valley filled with mountain huts and grasses and surrounded by tall pine trees and the stunning mountains. This is your first landmark on the hike, and it was one of my favourite parts. In the morning sun, this place is gorgeous.
There is a hut called Schronisko PTTK Murowaniec just below the valley - follow the signs to it when you get to the crossroads. Here there is a sink where you can refill your water bottle with tap water for free, get food at the restaurant, buy drinks and snacks, and use the toilet. Toilets here cost 4 PLN (approx. £0.80), but they are very clean and therefore worth it!
From the hut it is only around 30 minutes to the lake: Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy, and it’s not a difficult climb. You will be rewarded with stunning views of the clear blue water surrounded by some incredible peaks. It took me about 1 hour 45 minutes total to get to this point on the trail. It was a 7km section with 695m of elevation gain. If it is raining or icy and you do not have adequate equipment, please stop the hike here and go back, as the next section is extremely dangerous in wet or slippery conditions.
If you’re looking at the lake, to your right is the trail that goes up to Kościelec. It is signposted as ‘Karb’ as this is the halfway point to the peak. The section to Karb is steep but manageable, and you’ll find yourself walking along a short ridgeline with great views of Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy and the smaller lakes on the other side of the ridge. This was probably the best view of the hike.
Important: The final climb from Karb to Kościelec is an exposed mountain scramble rather than a normal hiking trail. If you are uncomfortable with heights or have little scrambling experience, I'd recommend turning around at Karb. You'll still enjoy some of the best views in the Polish Tatras without tackling the most technical section.
Once you get to Karb, you’ll see the path down to your right as well as the trail up to the top of Kościelec. If you don’t want to tackle Kościelec, going down is a great option. The trail up to Kościelec peak is no joke! It’s very challenging, steep, and at some points technical. I did not expect this, but it was my fault for not reading more about it beforehand.
There are some big drops and you will need all four touch points at times for scrambling and bouldering. It’s not for the faint hearted, but the view from the top makes it very rewarding. Again, please don’t do this section if it’s rainy or slippery! It took me just under 3 hours to get to the top from the trailhead, which covered a total of 8.8km and 1227m of elevation gain.
Going back down from Kościelec to Karb is just as scary as going up, so please take your time. You may need to sit and slide at some points. When you get to Karb, turn left and go down in the direction of the lakes. This section is absolutely gorgeous and so quiet - I basically had it to myself. The lakes are so still and it’s a surreal setting.
You can stop at the same hut again to refill water, get food, or use the toilets if you need, and then continue back down to Kuźnice. You will hit another crossroads, and again I recommend turning left here so that you are going down a different path to the one you came up on. It starts a bit steeper, but then flattens out nicely and you will be walking through beautiful meadows at the end, which is a much more relaxing finish to the hike.
Is the Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy and Kościelec Hike Difficult?
The hike from Kuźnice to Kościelec is a difficult hike. You will require a good level of fitness and good walking boots to get the most out of it. If you’re looking for something easier, you can very easily stop at Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy or even Hala Gąsienicowa. You’d still get some incredible mountain views on these shorter hikes, and it would still be worth it in my opinion!
I hope this inspires you to do this hike when you’re visiting Tatra National Park in Poland, and gives you a good idea of what to expect. I absolutely loved this hike and would recommend it to everyone. Please make sure you leave no trace, taking all your rubbish home with you or using the recycling and waste bins at the hut. As always, look after the places you visit and only leave your footprints behind :)
Looking for more incredible hikes in the Polish Tatras? Check out my other posts:
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