The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) are the highest mountains in Slovakia and in the whole Carpathian arc: a compact granite range of sharp peaks, glacial lakes (called plesá) and deep valleys on the Polish border, protected since 1949 as Tatra National Park (TANAP). The range is only about 26 km long but rises straight out of the Poprad basin to 2,655 m. You come to walk to mountain huts beside lakes, ride the cable car to the 2,634 m summit of Lomnický štít, climb Rysy or Kriváň, and stay in the old spa resorts of Štrbské Pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica, linked by a little electric railway. The key thing to know: the high-mountain trails above the huts are closed every year from 1 November to 31 May. Give it three days for the lakes and one big hike, a week to walk the best routes and add caves and rafting nearby.
Right now in High Tatras (Štrbské Pleso)
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Top tours in High Tatras
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High Tatras at a glance
- Best for: hiking to mountain lakes and huts, high peaks, cable car views, skiing and winter walks, caves and river rafting nearby.
- How long: 2–3 days for Štrbské Pleso, Popradské pleso and Lomnický štít; 5–7 days for the big hikes (Rysy, Kriváň, the Studená valleys) plus the Belianska Cave and the Pieniny.
- Best time: mid-June to September for the full trail network; late September and October for clear air and autumn colours on the open lower trails; mid-December to March for skiing.
- Getting in: train to Poprad-Tatry (direct from Bratislava and Košice), then the Tatra Electric Railway up to the resorts in 25–75 minutes.
- Key prices: as of October 2026, the cable car to Lomnický štít cost €89 return from Tatranská Lomnica (€59 from Skalnaté pleso), and a standard single Tatra railway ticket €4 (half price from 1 to 31 October 2026).
- Before you go: entry rules, money and general safety are in our Slovakia travel guide.
Tatra National Park rules: the seasonal closure and what’s open now
TANAP has some of the strictest visitor rules of any park in Europe, set out in its visitor regulations (návštevný poriadok) of November 2023. Read this before planning a route. As of October 2026:
- The winter closure: 1 November to 31 May. Every year, the high-mountain trails above the tree line and the huts close from 1 November to 31 May. This covers the passes and the peaks reachable on marked trails, including Rysy, Slavkovský štít and Priečne sedlo, and part of the Tatranská magistrála. In 2026, the closure ended on 1 June. Note that older guides often say 15 June: that date no longer applies.
- What stays open in winter. Valley trails, the walks between the resorts and the paths to many huts, such as Zamkovského chata, Téryho chata and Popradské pleso, stay open all year, though they can be icy. The closed sections are listed in an annex of the visitor rules and shown on a map on tanap.sk.
- Marked trails only, daylight only. Outside towns, you may walk only on marked trails and only in daylight; the one exception is reaching a hut or hotel where you are staying, by the shortest route.
- No swimming in the lakes. Bathing in the tarns is forbidden, and in August 2026 the environment ministry announced more patrols after repeated breaches.
- Dogs. Since 20 November 2023, dogs are not allowed in areas with marmots, chamois or large carnivores, which rules out most high trails; boards mark the boundaries. Many valley walks are still open to dogs.
- Camping. Camping and bivouacking are allowed only at designated sites, essentially the Táborisko pod Vysokou campsite for climbers, with fixed seasons.
- Drones. Flying a drone in the park needs permission from the nature protection authority.
Current restrictions. As of early October 2026, the trail from Tri studničky to Kriváň is closed between Tri studničky and the junction in the Krivánsky žľab while it is rebuilt, with new chains fitted on the upper section in late September; you can still climb Kriváň from Štrbské Pleso or Jamské pleso. The red Tatranská magistrála from Hrebienok to Rainerova chata reopened on 1 August 2026 after a landslide, but the park lists the green path between Bilíkova chata and the Studený potok waterfalls as closed until further notice. Closures change quickly; check the news on tanap.sk before you set off.
Top things to see in the High Tatras
Prices and hours below were checked on official sites in October 2026. They change, so check before you go.
Štrbské Pleso
The highest resort in the range, at about 1,350 m, sits on the shore of Štrbské pleso, the second-largest lake on the Slovak side, with the peaks of the Solisko ridge behind it. A flat path circles the lake in about 30–40 minutes, and rowing boats run in summer from a new pier; boating here has a 130-year tradition. Grand hotels, the 1970 ski jumps and the railway station line the shore. From the resort, the Solisko Express chairlift climbs 431 m in under 7 minutes to 1,814 m, with views over the lake and toward Kriváň; from the top, a short marked trail leads to Predné Solisko (2,093 m).
Popradské pleso and the Symbolic Cemetery
The classic first hike: from Štrbské Pleso, the red-marked Tatranská magistrála contours through dwarf pine to Popradské pleso (about 1,494 m), a lake in the Mengusovská valley with a mountain hotel on its shore, in roughly 1 hour 15 minutes each way. A short detour leads to the Symbolic Cemetery, a quiet hillside of painted wooden crosses and plaques for people who died in the Tatras. You can return the same way or descend on the blue trail to the Popradské pleso railway stop. This route stays below the closure zone, so it is a good choice in October and May.
Lomnický štít by cable car
Lomnický štít (2,634 m) is the second-highest peak in the High Tatras, and the only big summit you can reach without climbing. From Tatranská Lomnica, a cable car or chairlift runs to the Štart mid-station, a 15-seat gondola continues to Skalnaté pleso (1,751 m), and from there a small red aerial tramway, opened in 1941, climbs the last 855 m in 8.5 minutes. At the top are a café and a panorama over the whole range. As of October 2026, a return ticket costs €89 from Tatranská Lomnica or €59 from Skalnaté pleso; prices are dynamic, buying online at gopass.travel at least 3 days ahead saves up to €10, and capacity is limited, so book early. Under-6s travel free, with lower fares for children, juniors and over-60s.
Hours and maintenance. From 5 October 2026, the last ride up to the summit is at 14:40, and the gondola from Tatranská Lomnica runs from 8:30. The cable cars at Tatranská Lomnica stop for autumn maintenance on weekdays in November and early December 2026 (they run on 14–15 November, 28–29 November and 5–6 December), and the winter season starts on 12 December. The summit tramway also closes in strong wind or bad weather, so keep a spare day.
Skalnaté pleso and Lomnické sedlo
Even without the summit, Skalnaté pleso is worth the ride: a small lake under rock walls, a restaurant with a sunny terrace and an astronomical observatory founded in 1943. A chairlift continues to Lomnické sedlo (2,190 m), where a short green trail leads to Veľká Lomnická veža (2,215 m) with views down into the Malá Studená valley; marmots graze on the slopes. The red magistrála links it on foot with Zamkovského chata and Hrebienok.
Hrebienok and the Studený potok waterfalls
Hrebienok (1,285 m), above Starý Smokovec, is the crossroads of the central High Tatras: the start of the walks to the waterfalls of the Studený potok, to Rainerova chata and up the two Studená valleys. A funicular from Starý Smokovec climbs 255 m in about 7 minutes. As of October 2026, the funicular is closed for maintenance from 24 September to 4 November 2026; it reopens on 5 November for the winter, when Hrebienok has the longest sledging run in the High Tatras. Until then, walk up from Starý Smokovec in about 45 minutes.
Téryho chata and Zamkovského chata
Two of the best hut walks start at Hrebienok. Zamkovského chata (about 1,475 m) is an easy hour through the forest, a cosy wooden hut with hot soup and the trail on to Skalnaté pleso. Beyond it, the green trail climbs the Malá Studená valley past waterfalls and lakes to Téryho chata (2,015 m), one of the highest huts in the range, ringed by peaks and the Five Spiš Lakes; allow about 3 hours up from Hrebienok. The hut stays reachable all year, but the passes beyond close from 1 November to 31 May.
Rysy
Rysy (2,503 m) stands on the Polish–Slovak border, and its north-western top is the highest point in Poland. The Slovak route from Popradské pleso is the more popular way up: a steady climb past Žabie plesá to Chata pod Rysmi (about 2,250 m), the highest hut in Slovakia then a steep, chained final section to the summit. Allow 4 hours up and 3 down from Popradské pleso, and start early, as afternoon storms are common in summer. The route is inside the seasonal closure, so it is only open from 1 June to 31 October, and snow often lingers in the gullies into early summer.
Kriváň and Gerlachovský štít
Kriváň (2,494 m), the hooked peak on the Slovak euro coins, is the national mountain, a long, steep day hike from Štrbské Pleso or Jamské pleso. Gerlachovský štít (2,655 m), the highest peak in the Carpathians, has no marked trail: you can only climb it with a licensed mountain guide.
Things to do in the High Tatras
Hiking
Trails are marked with coloured stripes, with times on every signpost. The backbone is the red Tatranská magistrála, which runs along the southern slopes from hut to hut at around 1,300–2,000 m. Easy first walks: Štrbské Pleso to Popradské pleso, Hrebienok to Zamkovského chata, or the forest paths between the resorts. Harder days: Téryho chata, Rysy, Kriváň or Slavkovský štít. See our hiking guide.
Skiing and winter walks
Tatranská Lomnica is the largest ski area in the range, with runs from Skalnaté pleso and the steep black piste from Lomnické sedlo; Štrbské Pleso has easier slopes and cross-country tracks, and Starý Smokovec a gentle beginners’ area at Jakubkova lúka. The winter season at Tatranská Lomnica starts on 12 December 2026. Winter hiking is allowed only on open trails and in designated winter areas, and you should check the avalanche forecast at laviny.sk.
Near the High Tatras: caves, rafting and Poland
The Belianska Cave. The only show cave in the High Tatras lies above Tatranská Kotlina, a 25-minute walk up from the road. The tour covers 1,370 m of passages, with 860 steps and a temperature of 5–6 °C, and takes about 70 minutes; highlights are flowstone waterfalls, pools and the Music Hall. As of October 2026, it costs €15 for adults and €8 for children aged 4 to 15; in October, tours start at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00, and the cave is closed on Mondays. No reservations are taken.
Rafting in the Pieniny. About an hour north-east of Tatranská Lomnica, the Dunajec river winds through the limestone gorge of Pieniny National Park on the Polish border. Wooden rafts poled by local raftsmen in traditional dress leave from Červený Kláštor; operators list adult fares of around €25 for 2026 and a season that runs until the end of October.
Across the border. The Polish side of the range, with Morskie Oko and Kasprowy Wierch, is covered in our Zakopane guide. The road crossing at Łysa Polana leads to Zakopane, and Kraków is about 3 hours from the resorts by car.
Nearby destinations
- Zakopane20 km
- Kraków100 km
- Banská Štiavnica120 km
- Eger142 km
- Budapest202 km
- Bratislava249 km
- Brno256 km
- Lviv291 km
Getting to the High Tatras
By train. Poprad-Tatry, on Slovakia’s main east–west line, is the gateway. Direct trains from Bratislava take about 4 hours, and from Košice about 1 hour 15 minutes. From Poprad-Tatry, the trains of the Tatra Electric Railway (Tatranské elektrické železnice, TEŽ), run by the state railway ZSSK, climb to Starý Smokovec and then either on to Štrbské Pleso or across to Tatranská Lomnica. A rack railway also links Štrba, on the main line, with Štrbské Pleso.
Tickets. As of October 2026, a single TEŽ ticket costs €4 for any journey up to 34 km (reduced €3), and network tickets cost €6 for 24 hours, €12 for 3 days and €16 for a week. Buy your ticket before boarding, from station ticket offices, the ZSSK app or by SMS, and validate a paper ticket in the machine on board; ticket offices add €1 per journey. The ticket includes a bike or luggage. These are the standard fares: from 1 to 31 October 2026, ZSSK cut domestic second-class fares by half, including the Tatra Electric Railway and the rack railway, so a single ticket costs less this month.
By car. The D1 motorway runs past Poprad (an e-vignette is needed). Resort parking is paid and fills up on summer weekends.
Mountain rescue and insurance
In an emergency, call the Mountain Rescue Service (Horská záchranná služba, HZS) on 18 300 or the general number 112. Under the Mountain Rescue Service Act in force since 2006, adults rescued in the mountains pay the cost of the rescue; only children and people without legal capacity are exempt. European health insurance does not cover this, so buy insurance that includes mountain rescue; Slovak insurers sell it by the day.
When to go and how long to stay
The mountains are cool and wet even in summer, and the weather turns quickly. The table uses the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) 1991–2020 averages for Štrbské Pleso at 1,322 m, as published by the World Meteorological Organization. Poprad, in the valley, is about 2–3 °C warmer and gets only about 640 mm of rain a year.
| Season | Average high | Average low | Rain per month | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | −1 to 0 °C | −8 to −7 °C | 68–81 mm | Deep snow, skiing from mid-December; high trails closed, avalanche risk above the huts |
| Spring (Mar–May) | 3 °C rising to 13 °C | −6 °C rising to 4 °C | 73–111 mm | Snow at altitude into May; valley walks only; high trails closed until 31 May |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 17–19 °C | 8–10 °C | 110–146 mm | All trails open; busiest season; afternoon thunderstorms, start early |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 14 °C falling to 4 °C | 5 °C falling to −2 °C | 76–86 mm | Clear, quiet September and October; first snow; high trails close on 1 November |
Štrbské Pleso gets about 1,100 mm of precipitation a year, and snow falls on around 115 days. July is the wettest month.
The High Tatras in 3 days
Day 1: Štrbské Pleso, the lake walk and the hike to Popradské pleso and the Symbolic Cemetery. Day 2: the cable cars from Tatranská Lomnica to Skalnaté pleso and Lomnický štít, then walk down via Zamkovského chata to Hrebienok. Day 3: Téryho chata from Hrebienok, or the Belianska Cave and a short walk at Tatranská Kotlina.
The High Tatras in a week
Add Rysy from Popradské pleso and Kriváň from Štrbské Pleso (June to October), a day rafting in the Pieniny, the Belianska Cave, and a rest day in the spa towns or a day trip across to Zakopane.
Where to stay in the High Tatras
- Štrbské Pleso: the highest resort, grand hotels on the lake and the best base for Popradské pleso, Rysy and Kriváň.
- Starý Smokovec and Nový Smokovec: central, with the railway hub, Hrebienok and many guesthouses.
- Tatranská Lomnica: the cable cars, the ski area and good access to the Belianska Cave.
- Mountain huts: Téryho chata, Zamkovského chata, Chata pod Rysmi and others offer simple beds; book well ahead.
- Poprad: cheaper hotels in town and a big thermal water park, 25–40 minutes by train from the resorts.
Practical tips for the High Tatras
- Check two websites: tanap.sk for trail closures and vt.sk for cable car hours and maintenance.
- Start early: summer storms usually build after midday, and you must be off the trails by dark.
- Bears: brown bears live in the park. Make noise on forest paths, never feed wildlife and keep food packed away.
- Cash for the huts: remote huts may take only cash.
- Book the summit: Lomnický štít tickets sell out on clear summer days.
What to pack for the High Tatras
Hiking boots with a good grip, waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm fleece and hat even in July, gloves for the chained sections, water and snacks, sun cream, a headlamp, an offline map and a charged phone with the HZS app. In autumn and spring, bring microspikes for icy paths to the huts.
High Tatras travel FAQ
When are the High Tatras trails closed?
The high-mountain trails above the huts, including Rysy and the passes, are closed every year from 1 November to 31 May under the TANAP visitor rules. Valley trails and the paths to many huts stay open all year. In 2026, the closure ended on 1 June.
How much is the cable car to Lomnický štít?
As of October 2026, a return ticket cost €89 from Tatranská Lomnica or €59 from Skalnaté pleso. Prices are dynamic, and booking online at least 3 days ahead saves up to €10. Capacity is limited, so book early.
Is the Hrebienok funicular running?
Not until 5 November 2026: it is closed for maintenance from 24 September to 4 November 2026. You can walk up from Starý Smokovec in about 45 minutes.
Can you climb Rysy from Slovakia?
Yes, from 1 June to 31 October. The marked trail starts at Popradské pleso and passes Chata pod Rysmi, with a chained section near the top. Allow about 7 hours there and back from Popradské pleso.
Do I have to pay for mountain rescue in Slovakia?
Yes. Under Slovak law, adults pay the costs of their rescue by the Mountain Rescue Service. Buy insurance that covers mountain rescue before hiking. The emergency number is 18 300 or 112.
Can you swim in the Tatra lakes?
No. Swimming in the tarns is forbidden in Tatra National Park, and rangers have stepped up checks.
Can I take my dog hiking in the High Tatras?
Only on some trails. Dogs are banned in areas with marmots, chamois and large carnivores, which covers most high routes, but many valley walks are allowed. Dogs can ride most cable cars, but not to Lomnické sedlo or Lomnický štít.
How do I get from Poprad to Štrbské Pleso?
Take the Tatra Electric Railway from Poprad-Tatry via Starý Smokovec, about 1 hour 15 minutes. The standard single fare is €4 (half price during October 2026); buy it before boarding.
Can you visit the High Tatras in October?
Yes. Until 31 October, all marked trails are open unless closed for works, the weather is often clear and the crowds are gone, but expect frost and early snow up high and shorter days. Check the cable car maintenance dates first.
Can I visit the Polish Tatras from the Slovak side?
Yes. Both countries are in Schengen, and the road crossing at Łysa Polana leads to Zakopane and Morskie Oko. See our Zakopane guide for the Polish park’s own rules and fees.
Sources and last review
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Seasonal closure, visitor rules and current trail restrictions: the Tatra National Park administration (Správa TANAP-u, tanap.sk) and the TANAP visitor regulations published in the Government Journal of the Slovak Republic; cable car prices, hours, maintenance dates and dog rules: Tatry mountain resorts (vt.sk); mountain rescue and costs: the Mountain Rescue Service (hzs.sk); the Belianska Cave: the Slovak Caves Administration (ssj.sk); climate: SHMÚ 1991–2020 normals for Štrbské Pleso as published by the World Meteorological Organization. Tatra railway fares, train times from Bratislava and Košice and the Pieniny rafting prices come from secondary sources and are flagged for checking. Trails close and reopen at short notice, so check the official links before you go. For entry rules and money, see our Slovakia travel guide; for the capital, our Bratislava guide; and for a mining town in the hills of central Slovakia, our Banská Štiavnica guide.
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