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Zakopane
Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy lies at about 1,620 m above sea level in the Czarny Staw cirque, within Tatra National Park above Zakopane. It is the largest body of water in the Gąsienicowa Valley, filling a basin carved out by a glacier. Its name refers to the dark colour of the surface, caused by the steep, shaded walls of the surrounding ridges.
Above the lake rise some of the best known peaks of the High Tatras: Kościelec, Granaty and Kozi Wierch. The rock faces drop almost straight into the water, so the place is impressive even in cloudy weather. Climbing any of the nearby summits or the Karb pass opens up a view over the whole valley and the ridges beyond.
The easiest route runs from Kuźnice past the Murowaniec mountain hut — the most popular option and feasible in a single day. The other approaches cross higher passes and demand fitness and a sure step. Swimming is forbidden, and national park rules apply: keep to the marked trails, no wild camping.
