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Chocholowska Valley

Chocholowska Valley is famous not only for its beautiful views, but also for the crocuses that are abundant in spring in the local glades. It is the only place in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains where dogs can be brought in, and one of two such places available for cyclists. The farthest point that can be reached by both cyclists and hikers with pets is the PTTK Hostel on the Chocholowska Glade.The hike begins in Siwa Polana, where, in addition to a ticket booth, there are stalls, a carriage stop and the Rakoń tourist train. You can get up to the Huciska clearing using these. Passing the barrier, along the asphalted road we head deeper into the valley. A relatively large number of private buildings can be seen here. From the road, you can observe a cross reminding us of St. John Paul II's landing in a helicopter on Siwa Polana in June 1983 After passing the last wooden buildings, we enter the forest. At its edge, on the right, you can see a plaque informing you that you are not only inside the territory of the Tatra National Park, but also the Forest Community of Entitled 8 Villages, based in Witow. On the left, however, you can see the exit of the trail leading from the Lejowa Valley along the edge of the Siwa Polana. The paved road goes on. Due to the fact that horse-drawn carriages and a railroad run along it, you should be cautious. After approx. 40 minutes of walking, passing the Lower Chocholow Gate and the Chocholow Wywierzysko, we reach the Hucisko clearing. Here, there is the final stop for the train and carriages, as well as restrooms. This is also where the asphalt ends. We continue hiking along the gravel road. At the exit of the Dudowa Valley, one of the side branches of the Chocholowska Valley, is the beginning of the Ścieżka nad Reglami (black signs), which leads all the way to the Kuznice area. After approx. 20 minutes on the right you pass Chocholowska Forester's lodge (former Blaszynski shelter), and 5 minutes later the outlet of Starorobocinska Valley and the departure of two trails - the yellow one to Iwaniacka Przelecz and to Koscieliska Valley, and the black one leading to Ornak massif. From this point the road rises slightly. After approx. 15 min you reach another crossroads of trails. This time from the trail (green), the red trail diverges to the left, towards Trzydniowiański Wierch, and then through Jarząbcza Valley also reach the PTTK Shelter on Chocholowska Glade. We, however, return to the trail leading along the bottom of Chocholowska Valley. From the place where the red trail joins the green trail to the PTTK Shelter on the Chocholowska Glade, it takes only 20 more minutes. The road at this point becomes almost flat, and even heads slightly downhill for a while. After a while we see the first huts standing on the edge of the vast Chocholowska Glade stretching at the foot of Bobrowiec. In the summer, cultural sheep grazing is carried out here and you can taste fresh sheep cheeses. In the upper part of the clearing there is a small, charming wooden chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The clearing offers a panoramic view of the surroundings of Chocholowska Valley (Kominiarski Wierch, Jarząbczy Wierch, Wolowiec, Rakoń, Bobrowiec with Chocholowscy Mnisi). From the Chocholowska Glade it will take you 10 minutes on a slightly ascending road to reach the shelter, passing the outlets of the following trails: red (Jarząbcza Valley - Trzydniowiański Wierch - Chocholowska Valley), yellow (the so-called Papal trail deep into the Jarząbcza Valley) and green (Wyżnia Dolina Chochołowska - the ridge between Rakoń and Wołowiec).