home chevron_right Zakopane (Zakopane) chevron_right Routes

Kopieniec Wielki and Meadow under Kopieniec - an easy and scenic peak in the Tatras

Nearby: Zakopane

Region:

Zakopane (Zakopane), Tatry (Tatra Mountains), Małopolskie (Małopolskie)

straighten 2.3km

timer 1h 20min

north_east 310m

south_east 1m

Medium - For young hikers, steep sections possible

Route Map

The slope of the terrain
Access by public transport
No dogs allowed

Kopieniec Wielki - a low and easy peak with a great view of the Tatra Mountains

Kopieniec Wielki, also known simply as Kopieniec, is one of the lower (1328 meters above sea level) and easy-to-reach peaks in the Tatra Mountains. It's perfect for a hike with children or for shorter autumn and winter days. Its exposed and rocky summit offers excellent views of Giewont, Czerwone Wierchy, and the High Tatras peaks. At the foot of the peak is Polana Kopieniec with old shepherd huts, where cultural sheep grazing is still practiced, and in spring, crocuses bloom here!

The shortest route to Kopieniec Wielki is the green trail from Cyrhla.

Green trail from Cyrhla - the shortest and easiest route to Kopieniec Wielki

Cyrhla, specifically Toporowa Cyrhla, is the highest district of Zakopane - it's easy to get here:

by bus heading towards Morskie Oko
by city bus line no. 11

The word Cyrhla originally meant a cleared glade - it comes from the word "czyrhlić" or "czerchlić", which means to strip the bark from a tree to make it dry.

Right at the start of the trail, we catch the first panorama - in front of us is a view of Zakopane below and the impressive Gubałówka.

The beginning of the trail leads us through a dying and heavily thinned spruce forest - the trail is mostly exposed. The path first gently, then a bit more steeply, climbs up. We overcome a significant part of the elevation on wooden steps.

Soon we reach a trail junction - one path leads to the meadow, the other to the summit. The trail to the summit is much gentler - you can go up and down this way. On the other side of the meadow, there is another trail leading to the summit of Kopieniec Wielki - it is much steeper. So it's best to:

... either go up and down the easier trail
... or if you want to make a loop, cross the meadow and go up the steep trail, then come down the gentle one

Trail junction: straight to the meadow, right to the summit.

Meadow under Kopieniec

Formerly also called Skupniowa Polana. The meadow once had numerous shepherd huts - now 11 historic buildings remain. Cultural sheep grazing is still practiced on the meadow, so in spring, it is covered with crocuses. Crocuses, or Saffron Spiski, like nitrogen-rich soils, which come from sheep droppings - that's why they bloom most abundantly in meadows where grazing occurs.

Polana Kopieniec - view from the trail to Kopieniec Wielki

...and the ascent to the summit

From the meadow, we have about a fifteen-minute climb to the summit - the path leads us up uneven, stone steps. We have to overcome about 100 meters of elevation.

Kopieniec Wielki (1328 meters above sea level)

In the Podhale dialect, a hill shaped like a mound was called Kopieniec - that's why there are two peaks with the same name in the Tatras, the other Kopieniec Wielki is in the Chochołowska Valley.

From the summit, we have views in every direction, so we sit and enjoy the wonderful scenery. You can see Giewont, Kasprowy Wierch, and Świnica, among others.