The shortest route

For an experienced hiker, Sokolica can be a fun activity lasting no more than two hours. Therefore, tourists often combine the ascent to this peak with the Three Crowns and Castle Mountain. In this account, we decided to show the route along the green trail, which can be completed in about 40 minutes. We chose this shortest route because I believe it is the best way to enjoy the sunsets and sunrises while avoiding the crowds.

Towards the Pieniny National Park

We begin the hike at 5:00 PM in Krościenko’s market square. We walk along Świętej Kingi Street until the asphalt ends. Along the way, we pass attractions for lovers of architecture, folklore, and history: beautiful mountain cottages, an old pharmacy, and the Chapel of the Transfiguration of the Lord from the 19th century. Soon, we reach a sign announcing the entrance to the Pieniny National Park. It is worth remembering that if you plan to drive as close as possible to the trail, you can park on a gravel area near the sign.

A Piece of History

Just 10 minutes after entering the park, we pass another gem of local culture: the St. Kinga Chapel, commemorating the queen’s escape from the Tatars in 1287 to the Pieniny Castle. The chapel was built in 1860 on the site of a miraculous imprint of St. Kinga’s foot in a stone (it was later moved to the monastery in Stary Sącz). The site has been a place of worship since the Middle Ages!

Collapsed Bridge

A few hundred meters from the chapel stands an information board about the overgrown ruins, which turn out to be the remains of a bridge. It was built thanks to the efforts of Józef Szalay in 1871-

Wooden structure

Fortunately, we manage to navigate the “scary section” in one piece and reach a fork in the path, which marks the beginning of the main part of the trail. We turn off the gravel road and onto a rocky, steep path marked with a green trail. After a while, the path turns into stairs, and they remain so until the summit. As we climb the steps, we wonder how much work it took to prepare, transport, and assemble the wood into steps and railings!

Rest areas

The path is tiring, but enjoyable. There is almost no sun exposure – we are constantly hiking through the Pieniny mixed forest. From time to time, we pass wooden benches where you can rest; there are 3 such stops along the entire route.

Fees

During the summer, a fee is charged before entering the terrace. It’s worth remembering that there is no payment terminal at the top, so if you don’t have cash, you’ll have to run down to the ATM or rely on the kindness of other tourists.

How to get to Sokolica for free?

Of course, you can also take advantage of the times when there are no employees from the Pieniny National Park and climb to the top for free. The ticket office is open from June to November. Unfortunately, specific opening hours are not provided. Based on our observations, an employee goes up around 8:00 AM and comes down before sunset.

Safety First

After passing through the ticket booth (luckily, there was no one there at 7 PM, so we entered without paying), we climb the last steps of the stone staircase and reach the main terrace of Sokolica. Below, the Dunajec River flows, and to the south, a panorama of the majestic Tatra Mountains unfolds. It’s the middle of the golden hour – the conditions are almost perfect! We carefully approach the railings and begin to admire the views. The only safety feature at the top is the metal handrails, which protect against a fall from over 100 meters down to the Dunajec valley. When there, we must be especially careful where we step, as the ground is rocky and slippery.

Amazing Views

There are no information boards explaining the views at the top, but identifying most of the peaks is easy, as Sokolica offers views of the most popular peaks of the Pieniny Mountains! The terrace faces west, south, and east; to the north, there is a forest that obscures Krościenko and the Sądecki Beskid. Looking towards the Dunajec, you can see, from left to right: Pieniny Małe, Słowacka Leśnica, the actual Słowackie Pieniny, the Dunajec Gorge with the Pieniny road, the Tatra Mountains, Trzy Korony, and Góra Zamkowa.

Relict Pines

You can’t talk about Sokolica without mentioning the famous “little pines.” Small pine groves grow on the rocky peaks of the Pieniny Mountains, and they are remnants of the forests that once covered the Pieniny during the last ice age. The trees have strangely twisted branches, and the age of some of them is estimated to be around 550 years!

The Return

After an hour of admiring the beauty of this place, we decide to descend. We head back towards the ticket booth and face a choice: return along the same path to Krościenko, or choose the longer blue trail, which later leads through the raft landing in Szczawnica and Kras, back to Krościenko. Ultimately, we decide to return the same way and finish our trip on ul. św. Kingi just 30 minutes later.