Seasonal closure
The seasonal closure of selected hiking trails in the High Tatras lasts from November 1st until May 31st. The hiking trail to the Symbolic Cemetery is closed from December 15th to April 30th of the following calendar year. At this time, nature and animals enjoy winter rest. Especially higher elevated trails, saddles and peaks are closed. However, all the trails leading to the chalets are open all year round, with the exception of Chata pod Rysmi.
Don’t forget to:
- Check the weather, current snow situation and warnings (Tatra Information Centre, Mountain Rescue Service)
- Pack winter equipment according to the current situation and know how to use it – poles, climbing-irons, ice axe, perhaps even avalanche gear
- Get a mountain insurance and enter your name in a book of walks in your accommodation and inform your loved ones about where you’re headed.
An open hiking trail doesn’t mean that it is maintained and safe. Always consider the current situation and your own skills and be prepared to come back at any time.
You can find a free of charge brochure with a map in the Tatra Information Offices – Starý Smokovec or Tatranská Lomnica.
Where to go for winter hiking in High Tatras? Let yourself be invited by the Tatra fairies!
Fairies lived in many places in the Tatras. And indeed, you could find all sorts among them. Good and bad, greedy and unhappy, disappointed and loving… They were as they used to be until they turned into fairies. Therefore, one should not succumb to their singing, beauty and words, but follow the heart and mind. Fairies can still be seen on sunny days when the sun rays are reflected in thousands of snow crystals. They roam the trails, call on their lovers, dance on tarns, and sometimes wander under the tops of the highest peaks.
Lenka Vacvalová in cooperation with the Tatra Information Offices, the Regional Tourism Organization High Tatras Region and the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic will show you where to go for a beautiful winter hike following the Tatra fairies. During the winter, the ascents through the Tatra trails will have a completely different charm, perhaps even more mystical. With the Tatra fairies, however, these places will become a fairytale, interwoven with legends and amazing stories.
