Jałowiec (1111 m a.s.l.) is the highest peak of the Jałowiec Range — a quiet, slightly off-the-beaten-path mountain that rewards patient hikers with tranquillity, dense forest trails, and one of the finest panoramas in the Polish Beskids. If you are looking to escape the crowds without sacrificing the views, this is your mountain.
The summit itself is almost entirely covered in forest, but the real gem is the Hala Trzebuńska meadow (also known as Hala Kubulkowa), a broad clearing just below the top. On a clear day the panorama from here is breathtaking: Babia Góra in full glory, Pilsko, the Żywiec Basin, and the Silesian Beskids with Barania Góra and Skrzyczne — and on an exceptionally clear day you can even spot the peaks of the Slovak Malá Fatra. At the very summit there are benches and a large annotated panorama photograph to help you identify every peak in sight. In autumn the beech-covered slopes turn golden, winter brings sheltered snowy trails, and spring fills the paths with birdsong and fragrance.
How to reach the summitIt is a curious thought that this peaceful forested ridge was once a heavily guarded wartime border. Today all that remains are moss-covered foundations and an uninterrupted view towards Babia Góra — a very good reason to make the climb.