Mała Rawka and Wielka Rawka: the trail from the Wyżniańska Pass

View from the yellow trail between Mała and Wielka Rawka

We go to Rawki

Walk on Little and Big Rawka from the Wyżniańska Pass has many advantages. It is short (the total distance both ways does not exceed 10 km). One can experience beautiful views almost from the very beginning of the trail, because already in the first kilometer of the trail you can admire the vast panorama with a view of Wetlinska pasture, Caryńska and the group of the highest peaks of the Bieszczady Mountains, commonly known as Tarnica's nest. The best, however, is waiting for you after going to Mała Rawka. The views from Mała Rawka are fantastic, and going further along the meadows towards Wielka Rawka we get even more. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the trail and probably the best place to see the most beautiful and famous mountain pastures of the Bieszczady Mountains from a distance.
The path from Wyżniańska Pass to Mała Rawka runs along the green trail, and from Mała Rawka to Wielka Rawka along the yellow trail.

The beginning of the trail - Przełęcz Wyżniańska

How to get to Mała Rawka - this is the most common question for google (with exactly this error: Mała Rawka).
The walk towards Mała Rawka and Wielka Rawka begins at the Wyżniańska Pass, where there is a large parking lot for tourists coming to the trail by car. The GPS coordinates of the car park are presented below. After entering the car park, the parking fee must be paid and tickets to the Bieszczady National Park must be purchased.

Parking at the Wyżniańska Pass. To go in the direction of Mała Raka, leave the parking booth visible in the photo behind your back.

From the parking lot, follow the green trail, but be careful! The green trail from the parking lot on the Wyżniańska Pass goes in two directions: to Mała Rawka and in the opposite direction to the Caryńska pasture. To go in the right direction (i.e. to Mała Rawka), you need to direct your steps so that you have the access road and the parking booth behind your back.

Parking at the Wyżniańska Pass, GPS coordinates:
49°07’29.8″N 22°35’29.8″E
49.124941, 22.591596 - click and route

Part one (green trail): Parking - PTTK shelter near Mała Rawka

The first part of the route (about 1,3 km) is very pleasant. We walk in the vicinity of a vast clearing, a convenient access road to the PTTK Bacówka near Mała Rawka. In front of us there is a forested slope of Mała Rawka. On the left hand there is a clearly visible Tarnica nest, behind the Caryńska mountain pasture, and on the right hand and a little back, the Wetlińska mountain pasture. The views here are beautiful, and the PTTK Bacówka Mountain is reached very quickly.

Green trail from the parking lot towards the shepherd's hut. In front of us, the forested slopes of Mała Rawka.
A vast clearing in the first part of the walk, overlooking a group of the highest peaks of the Bieszczady Mountains in the vicinity of Tarnica.
Tarnica's nest at a slight zoom.

Part two (green trail): PTTK shelter near Mała Rawka - Mała Rawka

Approximately 300 m from Bacówka, the trail enters a beautiful beech forest and the ascent begins, which at first becomes gentle, quickly turns into quite steep. The approach first leads along the stream, and over time it turns into steps made of wooden beams, helping to overcome the most demanding parts of the hill. A strong slope of the slope does not let go until the undergrowth becomes thinner and lower. The thinning forest is a signal that we are slowly approaching the end of the ascent and soon we will reach another important point of the walk: Mała Rawka (1272 m above sea level).
Mała Rawka is the perfect moment for a longer rest and at the same time the beginning of a fragment rich in the most beautiful views.

Entrance to the beech forest. For now, it's even gently downhill.
Nature welcomes us with lush greenery.
It starts to be steep uphill.
The slope does not let go for a moment. Still hard up. Beautiful nature allows you to forget about fatigue, and under the pretext of taking photos, you can rest for a while.
The first and sharpest stairs on the trail appear.
The next steps are gentler, but they will accompany us almost to the very Mała Rawka.
The vegetation becomes lower and more light appears. This is a sign that the climb is about to end. The slope becomes gentler, in 300m we will be on Mała Rawka.

Part three (yellow trail): Mała Rawka - Wielka Rawka

To reach Wielka Rawka (1307 m above sea level), you need to go to the yellow trail. It is a trail connecting both Rawki with each other. It is almost flat with one, small ascent, which should not make a big impression on anyone after passing the other part of the trail (from Bacówka to Mała Rawka).
This part of the trail is one of the most beautiful scenic trails, with extensive panoramas of the Wetlińska and Caryńska mountain meadows and the group of the highest peaks around Tarnica.
Getting to Wielka Rawka should not take more than 20-30 minutes. There is a concrete pillar at the top, a remnant of the former geodetic site (triangulation point). You can walk along the ridge of Wielka Rawka a bit further, until the yellow and blue trails connect, and our trip ends.
Now the only thing left to do is turn back and go back to the parking lot on the Wyżniańska Pass.

Mała Rawka and the beginning of a gentle and beautiful yellow trail to Wielka Rawka
The yellow trail to Wielka Rawka. In the background, on the horizon, a concrete pillar is visible, a remnant of the former triangulation point.
The view from the yellow trail somewhere between Mała and Wielka Rawka.
The way back towards Mała Rawka.

route map

Below is a map of the route with a graph of the altitude you will have to overcome during the walk. The three parts of the route described by me are clearly visible on the elevation chart under the map (flat beginning, sharp landing in the second part, and flat third between Mała and Wielka Rawka).

Accommodation in the area of ​​the Wyżniańska Pass

Below I am attaching a link to accommodation located in the vicinity of the Wyżniańska Pass. Most of them are located a dozen or so kilometers from the parking lot at the pass. I limited the search area to the area of ​​the Bieszczady National Park, so the suggestions from the search results will also be very good locations for visiting other, attractive Bieszczady trails. So they can be treated as a starting point for exploring the Bieszczady Mountains.
You should start looking for accommodation for your vacation in February. March is the peak of booking accommodation on holiday dates and interesting offers disappear very quickly. In April, only the less attractive, less situated or the most expensive ones are available.

See: accommodation in the Bieszczady Mountains (Bieszczady National Park) - [click]

A few sample accommodation offers

Leśne Berdo Przysłup - [click]

Dziada's cap - [click]

Roh Manor

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One comment on “Mała Rawka and Wielka Rawka: the trail from the Wyżniańska Pass"

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    A very well described route. I am in Bieszczady for the first time. Before each trip on the trail, I read your texts to prepare myself. They contain all the necessary information, embellished with beautiful photos. A man immediately wants to see these wonderful views with his own eyes :-)
    Thank you!

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