Rising to 1123m (3600 feet) and more than 300m (1000 feet) above Zakopane, Gubalówka offers a tourist magnificent views of Zakopane itself, the Tatra mountains, the Podhale region and the Beskid mountains beyond it.
The mountain is rather flat and covered with dense foliage in places. Several hiking trails lead to the top (sometimes on rough terrain) and for the lazy ones, a rail line is open 10 months a year (with the exception of May and October) that carries tourists (and skiers in winter) back and forth from the top. During spring and summer months, Gubalówka is a great starting place for a Zakopane visit. Offering few kilometers of hiking trails, breathtaking views, as well as eating establishments, one could easily spend a day here exploring the native beauty.
In winter months, when the mountain is covered with a blanket of snow, skiers and snowboarders alike ride up to the top to enjoy many magnificent runs coming down from the mountain. South and East slopes of Gubalówka especially are spotted with chair lifts, and from what I hear the conditions for snowboarding are especially great here.
To get to Gubalówka, walk to the end of Krupówki street, where the base station of the rail line is located. If you’re in a mood for a hike, head to the left of the station, where two trails are visible. If you’re not you can purchase a ticket here (8 PLN one-way, 14 PLN round-trip) to get to the top. Train line has been recently modernized and now offers brand new base and top stations and two Swiss made trains that run in both directions every few minutes.
For more information check out PKL’s web-site (the company running the rail line).