Krowiarki Pass – the gateway to Babia Hora (Poland)
The Krowiarki Pass separates the Babeja Hora massif from the Polica range. The territories of the Orava municipalities of Zubrzyca Górna and Lipnica Mała meet here with Zawoja in Podhale. Today it is the highest road pass in the Western Beskids, through which the road from Orava to Zawoja leads.
What will you see?
The clearing is the entrance to the Babiogóra National Park with a ticket office, information point and buffet. Along the road you will find an obelisk commemorating Karol Wojtyła, who worked here as a student on the construction of the road in 1938. From here, the red Main Beskydy Trail leads through Sokolica and Kępa to the Diablak peak (1,725 m).
Good to know
- From Slovak Orava via Trstená – Chyżne to Jabłonka, then along DW957 via Zubrzyca Górna to the pass.
- Paid parking tends to fill up quickly on weekends.
- The climb to Diablak on the red route takes about 2.5-3 hours. The weather here changes very quickly.
- Shorter walk: to the Sokolica viewpoint.
Photo: Jerzy Opioła (CC BY-SA 3.0), Zorro2212 (CC BY-SA 3.0), Mk86 (CC BY-SA 3.0) – Wikimedia Commons
- Open all year round
- Refreshments
- Parking lot
Other places – Nature and views
Trchovnica Lookout Tower – Oravská Polhora
A 16-meter wooden lookout tower just above Oravská Polhora with a circular view of Babia Hora, Pilsko and the Orava Dam.
Lookout tower at the Klin peat bog – Klin
A small wooden lookout tower from 2018 on the edge of the Klinské peat bog with a view of the rare peat bog, Námestovo and Babia Hora.
Rafts in Orava – sailing under Orava Castle
An hour-long cruise on a traditional wooden raft on the Orava River from Horná Lehota to Oravský Podzámek with a view of Orava Castle and stories from the rafters.