Babia Góra, Mountain summit on the Poland–Slovakia border, Western Carpathians

Babia Góra reaches 1,725 meters (5,659 feet) and sits on the border between Poland and Slovakia in the Western Carpathians. The flanks alternate between rocky sections and forested slopes that climb up to the treeline.

The massif was first mentioned in the 15th century in the writings of Jan Długosz. The area was explored and chronicled in greater depth only in the 19th century, and the first known mountain hut was built in 1905. The summit lies on the Polish-Slovak border, with the northern slopes in Zawoja and the southern slopes in Slovakia.

The name Babia Góra is explained by several folk legends: a giantess's pile of stones, a bandit's lover turned to stone, or captives hidden in caves beneath the mountain. Andrzej Komoniecki wrote in 1728 of a stone figure on the slope with water flowing from it, from which the mountain took its name. In the 19th century its height earned it the name Queen of the Beskids.

Most routes begin from villages on the Polish side, with the ascent taking several hours and including steep passages. Weather changes occur quickly, so bringing extra clothing and sufficient water is advisable.

On some days fog drifts so low over the slopes that hikers can see only a few meters ahead. The wind shapes trees near the treeline into bent forms that all point in the same direction.