One of the most popular routes in the Pieniny Mountains, allowing you to get to know the most important places in these mountains. The trip begins and ends in Krościenko nad Dunajcem, which can be reached from Szczawnica by car or bus. There are amazing viewpoints along the route, especially on the peaks of Trzech Korony and Sokolica. It is worth remembering that entry to these two peaks is subject to a fee.
Trail color: yellow - blue - green
Walking time: 5 h 35 min
Highest point: Trzy Korony (Okrąglica) 982 m above sea level
We start the trip in Krościenko nad Dunajcem. Initially, we set off along Trzech Koron Street, following the yellow signs. Soon the path goes deeper into the forest and leads us significantly uphill, mainly through the forest, sometimes through pastures, to Przełęcz Szopka, also called Przełęcz Chwała God (1 h 25 min), from which, with good visibility, you can see the Tatra Mountains. At the pass the views are nice but somewhat limited.
Next, we choose the blue signs, which take us along a steep path to the plateau under the Three Crowns (35 min). In this place there are numerous benches for resting and ticket offices for the viewing platform on Trzech Korony. After purchasing a ticket, we climb the metal stairs to the highest peak of the Three Crowns - Okrąglica (10 min). From the viewing platform at the top, we can admire a phenomenal panorama of the Tatra Mountains, Podhale, Spiš, Pieniny, Beskid Mountains, Spišská Magura and the Dunajec Gorge. We go down the same route from the platform, using metal stairs and grates to flatten out at the ticket counters (10 min).
At this point we continue to choose the blue signs, but they go in the opposite direction than the one we came from. The forest path first traverses Ostry Wierch and then leads us to Góra Zamkowa. Under its top there is a chapel with a statue of Saint. Kinga in a carved rock niche. The route up to this point is quite interesting, it leads along steps carved in the rock and next to wooden railings. Currently, you cannot go to the very top of Zamkowa Góra, but only to the surrounding observation deck, but the views from there are quite limited. Further on, the forest trail makes a loop and brings us to the intersection with the yellow trail, which we followed on our way to the Szopka Pass (1 hour). We follow the yellow and blue signs for a short distance until we reach the place where the blue trail turns right (20 min). Following the blue signs, we enter Sokola Perć, leading along an interesting road, alternating between forests and clearings. On the way we pass several small hills.
An interesting part of the trail is located near the Chertezh and Chertezik mountains, as the road becomes very rocky, steep and even exposed in places. In such places, insurance appears in the form of solid metal barriers. On the way, we pass beautiful viewpoints and then reach a saddle, where there is another ticket office of the Pieniny National Park. If we have been to Trzy Korony, we do not have to pay again - one ticket is valid for both peaks.
After crossing the last, steep but protected by railing section, we reach the top of Sokolica (1 hour), where another wonderful panorama awaits us, including the Tatra Mountains, Pieniny Mountains, Spišská Magura and the Dunajec Gorge. Particularly noteworthy is the relict pine growing a few meters below the peak. Its age is estimated at approximately 500 years). From the peak we go down the same route to the place where the blue trail intersects with the green one (5 min). Here we choose the green signs that will take us to Krościenko nad Dunajcem, first through the forest, then along the bank of the Dunajec River, and then through the streets of Krościenko until the market square in its center.
