Po polsku: Czerwone Wierchy relacja
In summer they’re green, like most mountains. But from late September the slopes of Czerwone Wierchy, the „Red Peaks”, slowly turn rusty red and copper, and the whole ridge glows in the low autumn sun. It’s one of the most beautiful sights in the Polish Tatras, and the name says it all.
Why are they red?
It’s not the rock. The colour comes from a small mountain plant, the three-leaved rush (in Polish: sit skucina), which covers the grassy slopes. In autumn its leaves turn reddish-brown, and because it grows everywhere on the ridge, the whole massif changes colour. The best time is from the end of September to mid-October, before the snow.
Four peaks over 2000 metres
Czerwone Wierchy is a long ridge in the Western Tatras, on the Polish-Slovak border, with four summits:
- Kopa Kondracka, 2005 m a.s.l.
- Małołączniak, 2096 m a.s.l.
- Krzesanica, 2122 m a.s.l., the highest
- Ciemniak, 2096 m a.s.l.
Under the ridge lies a huge limestone world of caves, including the deepest and longest caves in Poland. You walk on the grass, and below you there are kilometres of tunnels.
The ridge route
The easiest way to get high is the cable car from Kuźnice to Kasprowy Wierch (1987 m a.s.l.). From there:
- Kasprowy Wierch → Kopa Kondracka: along the main ridge, about 1 h 30 min, with views on both Poland and Slovakia.
- Kopa Kondracka → Małołączniak → Krzesanica → Ciemniak: the red ridge itself, wide and grassy, about 1 h 30 min.
- Down from Ciemniak to the Kościeliska Valley and Kiry, about 2 h 30 min, then a bus back to Zakopane.
The whole traverse takes 6 to 7 hours. Without the cable car, start in Kuźnice and add 2 to 3 hours.
A warning about fog
The ridge is wide and gentle, which makes it feel safe. But in fog it’s easy to lose the trail, and on the north side there are steep cliffs. Accidents here usually happen in bad visibility. Go only in good weather, start early, and turn back if clouds come down.
Practical info
- Highest point: Krzesanica, 2122 m a.s.l.
- Start: Kuźnice (Zakopane), cable car to Kasprowy Wierch
- Time: 6 to 7 hours with the cable car
- Difficulty: moderate, long but no chains; the descent is steep
- Best season for red colours: late September to mid-October
- National park fee: paid at the trail entrance or online
Checked October 2026. Cable car times and trail conditions change, so check the weather and TOPR info before you go.
More Tatra hikes: Giewont, where to see Tatra chamois, Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy and Karb. All guides: Kraków & Małopolska in English.
Łukasz, Niezwykła Małopolska