Sokole Mountains – Krzyżna Góra, Sokolik

In the Sokole Mountains, within the Rudawy Landscape Park, there are two unique peaks – Krzyżna Góra and Sokolik, which were the destination of my trip today.

Hussite Rocks

I began my journey by arriving at the parking lot near the Szwajcarka Shelter. The road was quite extreme, so a car with high ground clearance is recommended. Three trails lead from the shelter – black, red, and green – which split near the Hussite Rocks. This was also the first point of my trip. Emerging from the forest, massive rocks with a resting area and a beautiful view of the surroundings slowly came into view.

The name Hussite Rocks comes from events in 1434 when, on the night of August 11th-12th, Hussites, fleeing from a burning castle located at the foot of Krzyżna Góra, lost their way and rode straight into an abyss.

From the Hussite Rocks, the black trail leads left, and the green and red trails continue straight ahead.

Sokolik

I continued my journey on the green/red trail, passing through Przełączka, with another resting spot. As I went further, the trails split: the green trail (Piast Castles Trail) veers left, while the red trail heads right toward Sokolik. On the trail, I encountered rocks with purple arrows painted on them and decided to follow them to see where they led. Taking a steep path, I reached the base of massive rocks, where a large number of people were climbing. Following this path, barely worn trails, jumping over rocks like a chamois, I ended up back on the red trail and found myself at the foot of Sokolik. But this wasn’t the end of my journey to Sokolik, as I faced steep metal stairs leading to the summit…

The origin of these stairs is not entirely known, and two stories are attributed to their creation. The first steps were carved in 1885, and where the path was too steep, wooden ladders were placed. This action is attributed to the Karkonoski Society. The second story suggests that the stairs were created by Carl Emil Becker. Once, an iron plaque with the inscription “Beautiful View” hung between the platforms, and at the summit, Becker ordered a mast to be placed, on which a flag with his name was raised.

The stairs are steep but stable (except for one loose step). At the top, there are two benches, and a breathtaking view of the Krkonošsko Mountains awaits.

Krzyżna Góra

I descended from Sokolik, fully following the red trail, and retraced my steps to Husyckie Skały, from where the black trail leads toward Krzyżna Góra. This is a very demanding path, steeply ascending, full of rocks and roots. At the foot of the mountain, there are also excellent climbing routes, which enthusiasts were fully utilizing at that moment. Just when I thought it was almost over, the steepest section of the trail to the summit appeared. A railing and a very steep path lead upwards. This was the most challenging part of my entire trip in the Sokolik Mountains, requiring great skill to climb to the top. The view made the effort of climbing totally worth it.

Krzyżna Góra is the highest peak of the Sokolik Mountains. It was originally called Sokolą Góra (Falcon Mountain), but after a large metal cross was placed at the summit, it took on its current name. The cross was funded in 1830 by Princess Maria Anna Amail von Hessen-Homburg to commemorate the birthday anniversary of her husband, Wilhelm von Hohenzollern.

In summary, I covered “only” 5.09 kilometers in 2 hours, following this route:

Szwajcarka Shelter – Green/Red/Black Trail – Husyckie Skały – Red/Green Trail – Red Trail – Sokolik – Red Trail – Red/Green Trail – Husyckie Skały – Black Trail – Krzyżna Góra – Red/Green/Black Trail – Szwajcarka Shelter

• Parking Szwajcarka Shelter – Janowicka 7, 58-533 Karpniki (sharp turn at the exit, easy to miss) price: 10 PLN
• Parking at Karpnicka Pass – free

In the nearby area, there are also the famous Colorful Lakes. The parking is 17 kilometers away and about 25 minutes. This is an additional stop for those who still want more after conquering two peaks.

If my article helped you plan your route and gather the necessary information, I would be grateful for your support in making my dreams come true by buying me a coffee!