Beskid Żywiecki. Trails, view peaks, attractions, hostels and accommodation

• The highest peak of the Żywiec Beskids is Babia Góra
• The most difficult trail is Academic Perc to Diablak
• The most picturesque trail is the Raczański Bag with the Great Crayfish and the Great Knight
• There are a lot of shelters in the band, including W. Raczy, Rycerzowa or Hala Boraczej i Przegibku
• I especially recommend the Knight's Hall, for views and atmospheric bungalow with blueberry racquets

The Żywiec Beskids are the highest of the Polish mountains, after the Tatras, in the Polish part of the Carpathians. It is an extremely interesting region, located in southern Poland, on the border of the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships. This mountain range stretches between the upper reaches of the Soła River in the west and Orawka and Skawa in the east. Virgin terrains, very scenic trails and numerous hostels captivate in these beautiful mountains!

Peaks in the Żywiec Beskids - forts with viewpoints

The queen of the Beskids, Babia Góra, is enough to encourage you to come here. After all, this is the only accumulation of alpine character in the Beskids. But there are many more peaks promising mountain adventures and magnificent views of the neighboring Silesian Beskids, other Beskid peaks, and even the Tatras.

Babia Góra - the highest peak of the Żywiec Beskids from the Crown of the Polish Mountains

The highest peak here is Babia Góra (1725 m above sea level), which, together with the Babia Góra National Park and the UNESCO biosphere reserve created here, provides tourists with an unforgettable experience. It is the only mountain in the Beskids reminiscent of alpine peaks. She can be really dangerous, especially in winter. Plus, she's capricious. Often, there are breaks in the weather in a very short time. It is not without reason that the mountain is called Diablak. For how charming the views, it is that the breath is breathtaking. Especially about the sunrise, which I once had the pleasure of experiencing!

Wielka Raczy Group

I highly recommend this part of the Żywiec Beskids, because it is wonderful, devoid of buildings, which makes it picturesque and a bit wild, but still equipped with tourist infrastructure. The highest point here is Wielka Racza (1236 m above sea level) on the Polish-Slovak border, very scenic, and the second significant peak is Wielka Rycerzowa (1226 m above sea level). It is also worth visiting the Przegibek Pass.

Pilsko and its surroundings

Another interesting peak in the Żywiec Beskids is Pilsko (1557 m above sea level), whose north-western slopes in the winter season become a real paradise for amateurs of white madness. Numerous lifts and downhill runs will meet the expectations of the most demanding skiers. In the vicinity, it is also worth going to Romanka and Rysianka.

Mountain hiking trails in the Żywiec Beskids

The Żywiec Beskids are also a great place for hiking and cycling. Marked hiking trails, including the red Main Beskid Route and a rich accommodation base make it easy to explore this beautiful mountain region.

Bag Raczański with wonderful panoramas

The most beautiful trail not only in the Żywiec Beskids, but also in the entire Beskids, is, as many believe, the local Raczański Bag. Marked by red trails, it stretches from Zwardoń to the Great Knight. It is also called the Great Racha Group, and the Great Racha is the highest and most spectacular peak here. The trail runs to a large extent along the border between Poland and Slovakia. It is worth taking the blue trail to Przegibek. The whole can create an interesting and quite demanding loop.

Perć Akademików na Babią Góra

The most difficult trail in this range is the yellow marked Akademicka Perć (Academic Perć). It has a Tatra character and leads to the top of Babia Góra. It only leads in one direction, it is only used for walking. In winter, this trail is closed due to the avalanche hazard. It leads from the Rescuers' Turn not far from the shelter in Markowe Szczawiny to the top of Diablaka. The most difficult place on the trail is a vertical wall called the Black Beak. It has a height of 8 meters and you have to climb it. The passage is secured with a chain and clamps, it is located at an altitude of about 1540 m above sea level.

Hostels in the Żywiec Beskids

The range abounds in atmospheric mountain huts. It is very popular in Markowe Szczawiny near Diablak. I also highly recommend the hut at Rycerzowa Street. It is excellently located, offers benches and an outdoor clearing, as well as delicious pancakes. A pleasant hostel is also waiting for Wielka Raczy, necessarily with a delicious apple pie, and a tasty cheesecake you can eat at Przegibek Pass. Famous blueberries, on the other hand, are waiting for you at Hala Boracaja. What is also interesting is the hostel Słowianka above Żabnica, and of course the hostel in Hala Miziowa, on the slopes of Pilsko.

Attractions in the Żywiec Beskids

• Knight's Hall - offers beautiful views of the hall on the black and yellow trail under the Great Knight's
• waterfall in Sopotnia Wielka
• Rysianka Hall - an impressive clearing with a panorama and a carpet of crocuses in spring
• Hala Boracza - not only with views, but also with blueberries
• Orava Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna - an interesting open-air museum at the foot of Diablak
• Żywiec Landscape Park
• Pilsko Ski Resort
• Żywiec Lake - a picturesque water surface with a walking path and water equipment rentals

See also our article about mountains in Poland

Villages of the Żywiec Beskids that are worth visiting

This range is famous for its beautiful landscape. The lofty peaks are adjacent to picturesque valleys, intersected by streams. In these depressions of the area, charming towns with preserved traditional, folk buildings and lively highlander culture were located. The most popular of them are: Zawoja, at the foot of which rises the famous Diablak, Korbielów z Pilskiem, Rajcza, Zwardoń and Jeleśnia with the historic Old Tavern on the Market Square. In the vicinity, it is also worth visiting Żywiec.

Skiing in the Żywiec Beskids

The most popular towns in the Żywiec Beskids that offer good conditions and ski infrastructure are Korbielów with the Pilsko Ski Resort, Zawoja with Mosorny Gron and Zwardoń, among others with the Zwardoński Resort. The most popular and best developed place is, of course, Pilsko - the main ski resort in this area.

Car parks

In the villages at the foot of the peaks, you will find parking lots, often free of charge, at the exit of the trails. Free parking lots are waiting, for example, in Soblówka to go to Rycerzowa or in the Knight of the Upper Colony, at the foot of Raczy. The one in Rycerka fills up quickly, so it's worth coming in the morning, because later only paid parking spaces remain.

Accommodation in the Żywiec Beskids

In the range, you will find a lot of mountain pttk shelters where you can spend the night, e.g. under the peak of Babia Góra in the hostel in Markowe Szczawiny, near Pilsko in the Miziowa Hall, in the backyard in Rycerzowa, in the hostel in Przegibek or Wielka Raczy. These are not luxury accommodation, but they allow you to experience a nice adventure and give you the opportunity to watch the sunrise and sunset in the mountains. And if you're looking for more sophisticated terms, use the search engine below.

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Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Castle in Żywiec, distance: 27  km
• Kapias Gardens in Goczałkowice Zdrój, distance: 58.8  km
• Tenczyn Castle, distance: 59  km
• Rysy, distance: 59.6  km
• Kazimierz in Kraków, distance: 61.2  km
• Krakowskie valleys, distance: 68.4  km
• Ojców National Park, distance: 72.7  km
• Gródek Park in Jaworzno, distance: 74.2  km
• Błędowska Desert, distance: 84.8  km
• Eagle's Nest Trail, distance: 97.9  km