Virtual hike: Descent from Leskowiec through Groń Jana Pawła II to Targoszów, Poland
Route: Leskowiec Mountain (918 m a.s.l.; 49.788746, 19.443158) – Władysław Midowicz Pass (868 m a.s.l.; 49.793388, 19.446026) – PTTK Leskowiec Mountain Shelter (858 m a.s.l.; 49.795207, 19.447437) – Groń Jana Pawła II (885 m a.s.l.; 49.795518, 19.445173) – PTTK Leskowiec Mountain Shelter (858 m a.s.l.; 49.795207, 19.447437) – Władysław Midowicz Pass (868 m a.s.l.; 49.793388, 19.446026) – Under Gronik (530 m a.s.l.; 49.759738, 19.462379) – Targoszów, Wieczorki (495 m a.s.l.; 49.761232, 19.457858)
Trail designation: blue trail, red trail, yellow trail, red educational trail
Length: about 5.9 km
Walking time: about 2:00 h
Sum of approaches: 20 m
Sum down: 430 m
00:00:18 Leskowiec Mountain
00:09:51 Bargłowa Glade
00:10:16 Władysław Midowicz Pass
00:13:26 PTTK Leskowiec Mountain Shelter
00:18:31 Beskid Glade
00:20:22 Monument to John Paul II
00:20:37 Chapel of Our Lady Queen of the Mountains
00:22:49 Groń Jana Pawła II
00:28:05 Bargłowa Glade
00:28:29 PTTK Leskowiec Mountain Shelter
00:32:18 Władysław Midowicz Pass
00:47:33 Spring
01:10:56 Chapel
01:23:40 Crossing of trails
01:37:00 Under Gronik
01:37:13 Chapel
01:41:37 Stream
01:44:38 Chapel
01:45:06 Stream
01:45:27 Targoszów, Wieczorki
Groń Jana Pawła II – a peak at an altitude of 885 m a.s.l. in the Mały Beskid Mountains. It is located in the eastern part of the Łamana Skała Range, between Leskowiec on the west, from which it is separated by the shallow Midowicz Pass, and Magurka Ponikiewska on the east. To the northwest, a ridge branches off to Gancarz Mountain, and to the southeast, a small ridge forms, below which it transforms into a ridge with the peaks of Jaworzyna Mountain and Harańczykowa Mountain. The northwestern slopes descend into the Wieprzówka River Valley, the northeastern slopes descend to the Ponikiewka River, and the southeastern slopes descend to the Tarnawka Stream.
At the summit, there is a small glade surrounded by trees on all sides and therefore offers no views. On the northeastern slopes is the Beskid Glade, which offers views of the northern part of the Mały Beskid Mountains. On the southern side is the Bargłowa Glade with the PTTK Leskowiec Mountain Shelter, offering views of the Żywiec-Orawa Beskid Mountains, the Makowski Beskid Mountains, and the Tatra Mountains.
The slopes are covered with a mixed forest of the lower montane zone, dominated by beech and some spruce and fir. The forest is secondary in character and has been significantly altered by human activity.
On the eastern side of the peak is the Chapel of Our Lady Queen of the Mountains, built in 1995 as a gift from tourists to Pope John Paul II. The chapel houses the armchair John Paul II sat in during his visit to Skoczów in 1995.
Near the summit are the blue-marked Wadowice-Mucharz hiking trail and the green-marked Andrychów-Świnna Poręba hiking trail.
Hike recorded on September 20, 2025.
