Hala Gąsienicowa (hala – pasture) owes its name to the surname of its owners, the Zakopane family of Gąsienica. The pasture they used to own was one of the biggest pasturing centers in the Tatra Mountains. The area has alpine features with dwarf mountain pines, lots of large boulders and stone runs. Due to these features only a small part of the area was used as a pasture. Despite that fact, the pasture was vibrant with life. More than 500 sheep were grazing there, there were numerous shepherd’s huts and sheds, it was also the area of intensive activity of the Tatra robbers. Today it belongs to the Tatra National Park and is not used as a pasture any more.