Pilsko Hiking Guide: Trails from Korbielów and Glinne Pass

Pilsko (1,557 m) is the second-highest peak in the Żywiec Beskids (or the third-highest if Gówniak in the Babia Góra massif is included), and one of the highest mountains in Poland outside the Tatra Mountains (although the actual summit lies on the Slovak side of the border). The mountain is a popular hiking destination thanks to its beautiful panoramas, exceptional natural environment and very good tourist infrastructure. Korbielów, a picturesque village located right on the Slovak border, lies at the foot of Pilsko. It is home to the largest ski resort in the Żywiec Beskids, with three chairlifts and four surface lifts. Korbielów is also the main starting point for hiking trips to Pilsko. The two most popular options are a loop starting in the centre of the village, combining the yellow and green trails, and a loop from Glinne Pass, following the border trail. Both routes include a stop at the PTTK mountain hut on the picturesque Hala Miziowa. In this article, I will take you through both of these routes. Enjoy!

Pilsko – from the centre of Korbielów

From the centre of Korbielów to Hala Miziowa

Early in the morning, I drive to a large paid car park in the centre of Korbielów (49.5755589N, 19.3435975E; approx. 600 m above sea level), right next to the wooden “Smrek” inn. I take the yellow trail, marked out in 1928 by Józef Merta. The route from the car park to Hala Miziowa is 5 kilometres long and involves as much as 720 metres of elevation gain. By Beskid standards, that is quite a substantial climb. Along this section, the long-distance The Loop route runs parallel to the yellow trail.

For the first kilometre, I walk along an asphalt road, surrounded by numerous guesthouses and holiday homes. At an elevation of around 690 m, the trail turns left, into the trees. From this point all the way to Hala Miziowa, I follow a dense forest. A few minutes after leaving the asphalt road, I come across a small wooden chapel dedicated to St. Gwalbert, the patron saint of foresters.

I would call the yellow trail from Korbielów to Hala Miziowa a quintessential Beskid route. The scenery may not be spectacular, but it certainly isn’t unattractive either. I walk surrounded by the intense green of May, clearing the mind and stimulating the senses. At an elevation of around 1,250 m, I cross the first mountain meadow of the day – the rather charming Hala Kamieniańska. The trail is wide, comfortable and very well maintained along its entire length, making it easy to gain elevation efficiently and ideal for all kinds of training. The gradient is noticeable here, but I would not call it particularly steep. In fact, when I emerge onto Hala Miziowa after an hour of hiking, I cannot believe that I have already gained around 700 metres of elevation!

Hala Miziowa

Hala Miziowa (approx. 1,230-1,310 m) is one of the iconic places among Beskid hiking enthusiasts. This extensive pastoral meadow lies on a broad plateau formed in the past by a massive landslide. Hala Miziowa offers pleasant views to the east and north-east – towards part of the border range, the Mędralowa Range, the Jałowieckie Range and Babia Góra itself. Although the meadow is now heavily developed, it still has something magical about it. Hala Miziowa is also one of my favourite places, both in the Beskids and in the mountains in general.

Hala Miziowa is home to a sizeable PTTK mountain hut with a spacious dining room (and, by the way, I highly recommend the tomato soup!) and 85 beds. Plans to build the hut apparently date back to 1906, with Beskid tourism pioneer Kazimierz Sosnowski and Jan Mizia, one of the meadow’s owners, taking part in the initial discussions. Polish activists were determined to avoid a repeat of the situation on Babia Góra, where the Germans from the Beskidenverein organisation had beaten them to the construction of a mountain hut and the development of trails. Due to the turmoil of war and the subsequent economic crisis, the first building on Hala Miziowa was not completed until 1930. Since the Germans were not interested in developing infrastructure in the Pilsko region, however, our compatriots can be regarded as pioneers of tourism development in this area.

During World War II, the building served as a German border guard post. In 1945, the hut resumed operations, but not for long – in 1953, it burned down completely. A temporary wooden hut was erected on Hala Miziowa and successfully welcomed tourists for more than 40 years. A new, elegant mountain hut was built between 1994 and 2003. The old hut was turned into a grill restaurant, where I myself had the chance to enjoy some delicious pork neck in 2014. Unfortunately, this building too was destroyed by fire – on 21 December 2018. I remember the event well, as it caused quite a stir among Beskid enthusiasts.

The PTTK mountain hut on Hala Miziowa is part of the ski resort on the slopes of Pilsko. For this reason, the hut is lively all year round, both during the summer season and in winter. Pilsko is also considered a good destination not only for downhill skiers but also for ski tourers.

Interestingly, Hala Miziowa advertises itself as the highest mountain hut in the Beskids, at an elevation of 1,330 m. The problem is that according to all kinds of maps – both online and traditional – the building actually stands at around 1,280 m. If that is indeed the case, the hut would be located at almost exactly the same elevation as the Turbacz mountain hut (1,283 m) and nearby Rysianka (approx. 1,290 m).

Yellow trail from Hala Miziowa to Pilsko

There are two ways to reach Pilsko from Hala Miziowa: the yellow and black trails. The former offers better natural scenery, while the latter has better views. For this reason, I prefer to ascend via the yellow trail and descend via the black one – and that is exactly what I am doing today. After leaving the hut, I head towards the upper part of Hala Miziowa. For a short while, I follow the highest surface lift in the entire ski resort. At an elevation of around 1,320 m, I turn left into dense upper-montane forest. I am now entering the Pilsko Nature Reserve, which stretches across the mountain’s north-eastern slopes and covers an area of around 100 hectares.

In my subjective opinion, the yellow trail from Hala Miziowa to Pilsko is one of the most beautiful routes in the Beskids. The narrow path first runs through upper-montane forest and then, from around 1,350 m, through a dense belt of dwarf mountain pine. Here and there, the vegetation becomes thinner, revealing pleasant views towards the north and north-east. The trail through the sea of dwarf pine is somewhat rocky in places, and the gradient is quite steep. The vegetation here is exceptionally lush – it seems to surround and almost embrace the delighted hiker. Along the way, I pass the grave of Franciszek Basik, a soldier of the Border Protection Corps who fell on the slopes of Pilsko on 1 September 1939.

About half an hour after leaving Hala Miziowa, the yellow trail once again merges with the black trail and leads me to Góra Pięciu Kopców (1,543 m). It is not a separate mountain, but rather an insignificant secondary summit of Pilsko itself. The place is nevertheless important because the Polish-Slovak border runs right through it. To reach the highest summit of Pilsko, you therefore have to make a short trip abroad to our southern neighbours.

The section from Góra Pięciu Kopców to the main summit of Pilsko is just a 400-metre flat walk along the green trail through dense dwarf mountain pine.

Pilsko – the summit

The summit dome of Pilsko (1,557 m) is a distinctive, extensive plateau. At the very top, the dwarf mountain pine disappears, creating something resembling a tiny alpine meadow zone. There is also an altar with a small cross at the summit.

Because of this broad, flat summit, the panorama from Pilsko may not exactly knock your socks off, but in good visibility it is genuinely extensive. The Tatra Mountains are the biggest highlight, appearing to the south-east; to their right, you can see the Orava Magura and the peaks of the Little Fatra. Looking west, the ridge of Romanka and Lipowski Wierch is in the foreground, while further away lies the Silesian Beskids with Barania Góra and Skrzyczne. Looking north, you can see the Żywiec Basin, with the Little Beskids beyond it. Finally, to the east, the Przedbabiogórskie Range and Babia Góra itself are on full display.

On clear weekend days, dozens of tourists can be found relaxing on the summit of Pilsko. It is hardly surprising – the open space and outstanding natural surroundings definitely invite you to have a picnic. Pilsko has actually been a popular destination among tourists for centuries. The name of the mountain was first mentioned in literature by the Jesuit priest Gabriel Rzączyński in 1721. He described his journey to Pilsko, unfortunately without giving a specific date. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that it took place at the very beginning of the 18th century, making it the first documented excursion into the Polish Beskids!

And since we are already at the summit of Pilsko, where did its name come from? The most romantic version of the story says that Żywiec bandits once turned the flattened summit into a dance floor, partying and stamping their boots all night long. According to this version, “Pilsko” would simply derive from a word meaning “drunken revelry”. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Black trail from Hala Miziowa to Pilsko

On the way back, I once again pass through Góra Pięciu Kopców, heading towards Hala Miziowa. At an elevation of around 1,500 m, I continue straight ahead, this time taking the black trail. Both routes are very similar in length and difficulty (around 300 metres of elevation gain), making them perfect for a loop. The black trail is a fairly steep descent, offering fantastic views towards the south.

The path leads towards the Kopiec hill (1,401 m), where the upper station of one of the local surface lifts is located. The section from Kopiec to the Hala Miziowa mountain hut is often muddy, but I honestly love it. The panoramic view of Hala Miziowa, the Żywiec Basin and the ridge of Romanka and Lipowski Wierch is incredible and creates an overwhelming sense of a vast, hard-to-define space. No photograph can capture it – you simply have to be there and let it take hold of you.

Descent to Korbielów via the green trail

From Hala Miziowa, I return to Korbielów via the green trail. The initial section follows the same route I took on the way up. The trails split after about a kilometre – the yellow trail goes right, while the green trail goes left. I therefore continue through dense forest, alongside a ski run and a children’s platter lift. In this way, I reach the upper station of the Jontek-Buczynka chairlift (approx. 1,100 m). Further on, the green trail follows the ski slope, offering pleasant views towards the east, particularly of Babia Góra.

Pilsko-Jontek Ski Resort consists of three chairlifts, two surface lifts and one platter lift. The infrastructure began to develop in the 1970s, with wealthy Silesian coal mines among its first sponsors. Korbielów continued to develop in the following decades and remains one of the most important winter sports destinations in the Beskids today. As a child and teenager, I skied here many times, and I generally have good memories of the place. It may be brutally cold on the upper surface lifts, but because of the considerable elevation, winter here is usually the real deal.

However, I am not going to rave about it. I have always believed that the ski resort on Pilsko has enormous potential that is being completely wasted. After all, the only place in Poland where you can ski higher is Kasprowy Wierch! Since entire hectares of forest have already been cleared here, they could at least be replaced with elegant, modern chairlifts. Instead, the infrastructure on Pilsko still feels more suited to a bygone era than the present day, making it increasingly less competitive compared with, for example, nearby Szczyrk (let alone resorts abroad). Pilsko is one of the few places in Poland where the snow conditions would justify investment in a proper, high-quality ski resort. Despite this, the years keep passing and not much changes there…

The green trail brings me back to the main road in Korbielów. I turn left, passing plenty of restaurants and guesthouses. One wooden villa with a visible PTTK emblem stands out among them. This is the “Chata Baców” mountain hut, one of the few facilities of this kind located in the valleys. After another dozen or so minutes, I reach the car park by the yellow trail and complete the loop. The whole hike took me around 3 hours, but I was moving at a fairly fast pace. If you take your time and rest at the summit, the hike should take around 5-6 hours.

Alternative route via the Uszczawne ridge

Another hiking trail leaves Hala Miziowa towards the north – the green trail towards Sopotnia Wielka. Thanks to the connecting trails in the area, this route can easily be used to extend or diversify the loop from Korbielów.

On this variant, walking through beautiful forest, we pass the Skałki summit (1,235 m) and the charming Hala Jodłowcowa, spread across the eastern slopes of Buczynka (1,205 m). If you turn right here, you can reach the tent base at Hala Górowa, operated by SKPB Katowice, within a few minutes.

After two kilometres, the green trail turns left towards Sopotnia Wielka. We continue straight ahead, following the black trail. At this point, it is possible to make a short detour from the marked route to reach the nearby summit of Uszczawne Wyżne (1,145 m). Further on, the trail follows a forested ridge that gradually descends northwards. Without a doubt, the most beautiful part of this section is the extensive Malarka Meadow (approx. 1,050 m). How many sheep must once have grazed here? How many shepherds spent the entire hot summer on this meadow?

From the ridge, we descend towards Przysłopy Pass (847 m), located five kilometres from Hala Miziowa. Shortly before reaching the small Piekło Meadow, we turn right onto the blue trail. This short connecting trail takes us down to the centre of Korbielów.

Pilsko from Glinne Pass

One of the unwritten rules of my blog is that I describe only one hike in each article. For Pilsko, however, I decided to make an exception and cover the two most straightforward loops in a single post. Why? First, both loops overlap on the most interesting section, from Hala Miziowa to Pilsko. Second, the route from Glinne Pass is relatively straightforward and, in my opinion, does not require a separate, detailed article.

Glinne Pass (809 m) lies between Pilsko and Student (938 m), on the Polish-Slovak border. There are plenty of car parks here, as well as a building formerly occupied by border guards and, on the Slovak side, a restaurant. The ascent from Glinne Pass is the fastest and easiest way to reach Pilsko. It is therefore hardly surprising that the trail is quite popular on clear days, with all the car parks filling up completely.

Interestingly, the road across Glinne Pass has existed since the second half of the 19th century, when Hungarian copper began to be transported this way. During the interwar period, there were also plans to build a railway line here, but unfortunately the idea was never realised. Before World War II, the first mountain hut in the Pilsko region operated at the pass.

Ascent to Pilsko via the blue trail

From Glinne Pass, we follow the red markers (the Polish trail; a section of the Main Beskid Trail) and the blue markers (the Slovak trail). The path follows the ridge along the state border. We walk through dense forest, and the intensely green vegetation makes for a very pleasant walk. 2.5 kilometres after leaving the pass, we reach a junction: the blue trail continues straight ahead, while the red trail turns right. We continue along the border, gradually entering the upper-montane forest zone.

From an elevation of around 1,000 m, the ascent becomes fairly steep, but very consistent – a typical Beskid slog. In the final stage of the hike, we enter the dwarf mountain pine zone, while behind us a broad panorama opens up towards the east – above all, towards the Orava region and Babia Góra towering above it.

The border trail leads us to Góra Pięciu Kopców, from where we reach the main summit of Pilsko via the green trail mentioned earlier.

Descent to Glinne Pass via the red trail

As I mentioned above, there are two ways to descend from Pilsko to Hala Miziowa: via the yellow trail through the nature reserve or the black trail through the ski resort. We choose the first option and then stop at the mountain hut for lunch. From Hala Miziowa, we continue along the red trail, following a section of the Main Beskid Trail.

Incidentally, the Main Beskid Trail used to run somewhat differently – via Góra Pięciu Kopców and along the border. In 1930, however, the route of the long-distance trail was changed so that it would pass by the new mountain hut on Hala Miziowa. Despite this, hikers following the Main Beskid Trail often still climb Pilsko, rightly recognising the mountain as one of the symbols of hiking in the Beskids.

The red trail section from Hala Miziowa to the border is a two-kilometre, gentle traverse through the forest. After that, the descent follows the same route as the ascent and, after another dozen or so minutes, brings us back to Glinne Pass.

The routes I have described obviously do not exhaust the hiking possibilities in the Pilsko Group. The second-highest peak in the Beskids can also be reached from the Slovak side (from the villages of Sihelné, Mútne and Oravské Veselé) or from Sopotnia Wielka. Starting from the latter, Pilsko can be combined with Romanka and Rysianka on a full-day hike, passing the border summits of Palenica and Munczolik (you can read more about this route in my article about Romanka and Rysianka from Sopotnia Wielka).

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Bibliography

• Figiel S., Franczak P., Janicka-Krzywda U., Krzywda P., Beskid Żywiecki. Przewodnik, 4th edition, Rewasz Publishing, Pruszków 2023,
• Official website of the PTTK Hala Miziowa mountain hut.