Starorobociańska Valley is one of the wildest and most rewarding side valleys branching off the Chochołowska Valley in the Western Tatra Mountains. With its glacially carved U-shaped profile, a hidden waterfall, centuries-old mining history and occasional bear sightings, this place offers far more than just a walk in the mountains.

The valley stretches from around 1,035 m above sea level up toward the main Western Tatra ridge, framed by the northern ridges of Kończysty Wierch to the west and Siwy Zwornik to the east. The western slopes of Ornak are largely open grassland — vivid green in summer, treacherous with avalanches in winter. High up on the valley walls, a waterfall tumbles down through the Wielka Szczerba gap, draining the small Dudowe Stawki lakes hidden in the suspended valley of Dudowa Kotlina. The atmosphere here is genuinely remote: fewer crowds, more silence, and a landscape that feels untouched.

• From Chochołowska Valley — green trail, along the full length of the valley to Siwa Przełęcz pass: approx. 2 h 30 min up, 2 h down, moderate difficulty
• From Chochołowska Valley — yellow trail, via Iwaniacka Przełęcz pass to Ornak mountain hut: approx. 2 h 20 min up, 2 h 25 min down, moderate difficulty

• The valley lies within Tatra National Park — staying on marked trails is mandatory.
• Bears are occasionally present in the valley — exercise caution, especially at dawn and dusk.
• In winter, avalanche risk on the Ornak slopes makes the route potentially dangerous.

The valley's name comes from the 'old workings' — abandoned mine shafts dating back to at least 1520, where copper-antimony ore with traces of silver was extracted. Collapsed tunnels and spoil heaps from one of the oldest mines in the Polish Tatras can still be spotted today.