Jewel of the Tatras: the largest and one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the Tatras
Difficulty: moderate
Surface: asphalt
Distance: 18 km (9 km one way)
Stroller-friendly: yes, but strollers cannot go around the lake
Total time: 4:30 hours
Time up/down: 2:36 hours/1:54 hours
Elevation gain: 430 m (from 989 m to 1412 m)
Fun Fact: Legend has it that Morskie Oko lake is connected to the sea by underground channels, hence the name “Sea Eye.”
On the last day of our trip to Poland, I decided to revisit the idea of hiking to Morskie Oko. At the start of our trip, we were considering different places to visit, and I initially ruled this one out because various sources indicated that the hike was around 10 km one way. With a 4-month-old baby, we were concerned it might be too much. However, if you’re in Zakopane, the hike to Morskie Oko is undeniably the most popular choice.
After reading more articles, one in particular convinced me to give it a try. It mentioned that it’s only 8 km uphill, the path is a smooth asphalt road, and supposedly, you can even manage it in flip-flops. So, what was the reality, and how was our experience?
As a reward at the end of the hike, you’ll be treated to a stunning view like this. We were lucky enough to see the lake both in sunshine and rain.
Parking
Since we decided just five minutes before leaving the house to go on this hike, we skipped any detailed planning for parking. Everywhere else had been easy to park, so it didn’t even cross our minds that this could be an issue.
We recommend booking parking in advance, at least a day or two ahead. It costs 36 PLN, which is approximately €8. With this, you’ll have a spot at a large parking lot right at the entrance gate. We paid €10 on-site and ended up parking about 1.5 km from the entrance. It wasn’t a huge difference, but you’ll have an extra 1.5 km to walk along the road with parked cars.
We discovered that if you have an electric car, parking is free. However, you do need to plan ahead and reserve this free spot. For us, this is a great tip—the only downside being that we didn’t take advantage of it!
Since the guy in a vest at the parking lot convinced us it was still a long way to the ticket booths, we took the shuttle bus for that 1.5 km stretch (which, in hindsight, was completely unnecessary), but at least it made for a fun little experience.
What to enter in your navigation:
Palenica Białczańska. We entered this parking location in our GPS, and it took us directly to the destination. Near the parking area, there are staff members in vests who will direct you based on whether you have a reservation or not.
Entrance fee for the Morskie oko
As with any entry into Tatra National Park in Poland, there’s an admission fee of 10 PLN (€2.30) per adult. If you’re staying for several days, it’s worth purchasing a 7-day pass for 50 PLN (€11.60).
At the ticket booth, you’ll find various maps and souvenirs for sale. I picked up a magnet styled like a hiking trail marker for 10 PLN (€2.30).
What to wear and bring along
Make sure to wear sturdy shoes—definitely not flip-flops, despite what I read in one article! While we did see plenty of people in worn-out sandals or regular flip-flops, I honestly don’t know how they managed; my feet would have been done for. Although the path is a smooth asphalt road, it’s a steady uphill climb with plenty of curves, so solid footwear is definitely the way to go.
Watch Out for Bears! 😄 We encountered this little “sock bear” along the way! 🧦🐻
Don’t Forget: Mountain weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for anything. For example, during our hike, we ended up using every type of clothing we had packed. We started off in tank tops and shorts, sweating under the blazing sun. But when the sun slipped behind the clouds, we threw on our hoodies. At the top, we were hit with a heavy downpour, and by the end of the hike, there was a light drizzle.
Here are our clothing and accessory tips:
- Tank top or short-sleeve shirt (we highly recommend Nike’s Dry Fit sportswear; it absorbs sweat well and dries quickly)
- Shorts
- Long pants (just in case it gets chilly)
- Hoodie
- Rain jacket
- Sturdy hiking shoes
- Cap
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
What to Pack for a Baby on the Hike
Every parent knows what works best for their baby, so adjust as needed. For us, this was essential:
- Stroller (not for baby rides, but as a carrier for all our things and backpacks 😄)
- Baby carrier (a must since strollers can’t go around the lake)
- Merino clothing
- Extra outfit
- Lightweight hat
- Warmer hat
- Sun hat (we recommend all three head coverings as mountain weather changes quickly, and we ended up using each one)
- Extra diapers—and more extra diapers
- Picnic blanket (we improvised by laying down changing pads with a blanket on top)
- Blanket
- Rain cover for the stroller
As soon as we sat down, a massive downpour started without warning—just like that, it began to rain heavily. We barely managed to scoot everyone under the large umbrellas. The weather here changes instantly; luckily, our timing was perfect, but we saw others arriving completely soaked. The rain shower lasted about 10 minutes.
What’s it Like Hiking to Morskie Oko with a 4-Month-Old Baby?
The trail starts on a smooth asphalt road, so if your baby can stay comfortable in the stroller, you’re all set and can make it up fairly easily. The path is even but steadily climbs at a noticeable incline. Our little one doesn’t last long in the stroller yet, but the carrier was a clear win for us. She slept almost the entire way up!
Even though you’re not navigating through forests or over rocks, this hike is still relatively challenging. The weather adds to the difficulty; for the first three-quarters of the hike, we had intense sun and felt very warm. There are shaded sections in the curves of the path, covered by trees, providing spots where you can cool down.
The beginning of the hike is great—you get to take in the scenery, and the first interesting stop is the Roztoka stream. We paused here for a moment, listening to the soothing sound of the water. Natural white noise works wonders for helping a baby sleep; we can confirm that from experience!
Throughout the entire route, you’ll find multiple signs and paths leading into the forest on various side trails. These can be a great escape from the crowds, which were surprisingly dense here. This was something that really stood out to us in Poland—everywhere we went, there were loads of tourists (all Polish; we didn’t hear any other language).
At times, the crowds were actually a bit overwhelming—some areas were packed with people. Large groups often walked together, and it felt like we were among tour groups. We preferred to either wait for a bit or pass them to avoid having people right in front and behind us. After all, when we head into nature, we want to hear the sound of the stream, not voices. This is something to expect on nearly any hike in the Polish Tatras.
After about an hour and a half, we spotted the first wooden bench with a table where we could take a break. Right then, our little one woke up—she couldn’t have timed it better! So, we had a nice spot for a quick diaper change and some rest.
Opposite the bench, there’s a spot where you can refresh yourself with some ice-cold water 😊. Jany especially appreciated it on the way up!
Along the trail, you’ll find Toi Toi toilets, and about an hour in, there’s a small wooden hut selling souvenirs.
If you’re not using a stroller, about halfway up, you’ll start to see shortcuts in the form of rocky steps. This way, you can cut through some of the winding paths. We tend to walk at a decent pace and often saw people taking these shortcuts, only to catch up with them again at the trail exit.
After roughly 8 km—and I won’t lie, we were eagerly awaiting the end—we arrived at a large refreshment area and restrooms (actual bathrooms, not just Toi Tois). They had ice cream and various quick snacks. We didn’t stop here; it wasn’t really to our taste, and we preferred to press on and get to the lake.
Even though it was late August/early September, there was still snow on the hills and peaks.
Just before reaching the destination, nature rewards you with a beautiful view of small lakes on your left (if you’re facing towards Morskie Oko).
In this section, we passed people coming down, completely soaked and wearing rain ponchos. We started hearing thunder, which made us a bit nervous about what awaited us at the top. We hadn’t brought rain ponchos—just a cover for the stroller and lightweight jackets.
When we finally reached Morskie Oko, we were greeted by clear weather and enjoyed a stunning view of the lake.
Overall, the hike up took us 2 hours and 36 minutes (not counting the diaper break), and our watch showed a distance of 9 km.
By this point, we were quite hungry. There’s a large lodge with a restaurant where you can eat inside or outside under umbrellas with a view of the lake. We settled outside under an umbrella while Jany went inside to check out the local menu.
As soon as we sat down, a massive downpour started without warning—just like that, it began to rain heavily. We barely managed to squeeze everyone under the large umbrellas. The weather here changes in an instant; luckily, our timing was perfect, but we saw people arriving completely soaked. The shower lasted about 10 minutes.
In the photos and videos, it doesn’t look that intense, but those raindrops were huge! 😄
Schronisko PTTK Morskie oko Lodge
This lodge caught our attention with its longer name, Schronisko PTTK Morskie Oko. PTTK translates to something like the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society, which manages this beautiful, old lodge. From the outside, it’s quite large and even has several beds for overnight stays (on the way up, we saw quite a few heavily packed hikers), and now I understand why…
Jedlo na Morskom Oku
Na cestu si určite zbaľte občerstvenie a veľa vody, keďže prvá možnosť jedla sa naskytne až po dvoch hodinách. Pozrite si ponuku reštaurácie priamo pri jazere, ktorá je súčasťou práve spomínanej chaty Schronisko. Pozor, dá sa platiť len v hotovosti!
On the left is the menu, and on the right is a food counter where you wait for your order after paying.
We went with our classic choice: grilled oscypek cheese with fries, and for dessert, szarlotka (apple pie).
Here’s how the inside of the restaurant looked:
Stamps:
Just like in Slovakia, you can collect stamps at various tourist spots here as well. You can usually buy a stamp passport anywhere, and it costs 14 PLN (€3.30). So, we added another stamp from our trip in the restaurant.
The way down was quicker since it’s all downhill, and it took us 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Horses
Right by the ticket booths, you’ll find horse-drawn carriages parked, ready to take people almost all the way up. Personally, I really dislike these tourist attractions where horses stand on hot pavement all day, carrying people too lazy to hike up. I’ll just say, if someone’s too lazy to do the hike, they might as well not go.
I understand if it’s an elderly person, but we didn’t see any there. It was all young people… and to top it off, we saw two wheelchair users making it all the way to the top. The path is indeed steep, so if they managed it, what excuse does anyone else have?
More photos from our Morskie Oko hike with a baby:
Summary
The hike to Morskie Oko is definitely not as easy as some sources claim, especially for those who aren’t athletic or are less active. And even more so if you have a small baby or are pregnant… in that case, it could be a really long and exhausting journey. After all, it’s a long uphill trek on an asphalt road (9 km up and 9 km down). But for people who enjoy being active and stay fit year-round, it shouldn’t be an issue—even with a stroller or during pregnancy!
