Horná Mariková
Photos: Gathis, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Lubosb, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horná Mariková is a village and municipality in the Považská Bystrica District, Trenčín Region, Slovakia. The settlement is located in the north-western part of the country at an elevation of around 470 metres above sea level. Horná Mariková lies near the Javorníky mountain range, offering a scenic setting ideal for nature lovers and outdoor activities.
The first written mention of Horná Mariková dates back to 1321. Over the centuries, the village developed as part of the historical lands of Slovakia, preserving its local traditions and customs. Some records also mention the village as Horná Mariková in 1828.
Horná Mariková is known for its location amid the Javorníky mountains, attracting visitors interested in nature and mountain hiking. The village maintains a traditional rural atmosphere, and the surrounding forests and hills provide a peaceful environment for relaxation. It is also of interest to those exploring the cultural heritage and history of the region.
The area around Horná Mariková features numerous hiking trails, such as Papradno – Hrholinec Saddle, Považská Bystrica – Malý Javorník, Makita – Hotel Portáš, and Horná Mariková, Modlatín – Orgoňová Kičera Saddle. The Makita peak is accessible for hikers, and for overnight stays, there are shelters like Portáš and Javorka. This makes it a great destination for hiking, cycling, and discovering the nature of the Javorníky.
Getting there from Ukraine
From Uzhhorod to Žilina is about 330 km (4 h 20 min without queues): Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 to Košice → D1 via Prešov, Poprad, Liptovský Mikuláš and Ružomberok (about 17 km on I/18 between D1 sections) → Žilina. An e-vignette is required for the D1 (eznamka.sk).
Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia
Trails nearby
All trails
EasyOne-dayMarkedHorná Maríková, Modlatín Saddle Orgoňova KýčeraElevation profile437–815 m3.5 kmascent 377 m≈ 1.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centre
HardMulti-dayMarkedNosice Hotel PortášElevation profile260–927 m34.7 kmascent 1 017 m≈ 10.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centre
EasyOne-dayMarkedKátlina Nad KončinouElevation profile433–775 m4.2 kmascent 338 m≈ 1.5 h walking1.3 km from the centre
HardMulti-dayMarkedPovažská Bystrica Malý JavorníkElevation profile279–1 019 m31.7 kmascent 774 m≈ 9.5 h walking2.5 km from the centre
HardTwo-dayMarkedLednické Rovne Sedlo KýčeraElevation profile261–767 m24.7 kmascent 1 335 m≈ 9 h walking5.1 km from the centre
EasyOne-dayMarkedRáztoka Malý JavorníkElevation profile609–1 019 m2.8 kmascent 5 m≈ 45 min walking5.2 km from the centrePeaks nearby
All peaks
PeakVeľký Javorníkaltitude 1 072 m9.1 km from the centreVeľký Javorník (Polish Wielki Jawornik) is the highest peak of the Javorníky range at 1,072 m (more precisely 1,071.5 m).
PeakMakytaLazy pod Makytoualtitude 923 m11 km from the centreMakyta (German Makita) is the highest and most massive summit of the western Javorníky, 923 m high (923.3 m according to Slovak and Czech data).What to visit
All
Water parks & thermal poolsNimnica: a mineral-water spa above the Nosice reservoirNimnica14 km from the centreNimnica is one of Slovakia's youngest spas, in the Váh valley between Púchov and Považská Bystrica. Its spa houses stand at about 300 m on a wooded spur of the...
Cheese dairies & pasturesSalaš Orlové near Považská Bystrica: cheese, bryndza, žinčicaPovažská Bystrica15 km from the centreOrlové is a part of the town of Považská Bystrica on the left bank of the Váh, at the foot of hills that rise into the Strážov Hills.Craft nearby
All craft places
Cheese dairies & pasturesFarma Brezany near Žilina: hand-stretched cheese and a distilleryBrezany27 km from the centreBrezany is a village a few kilometres south of Žilina, on the edge of the Žilina basin and the foothills leading towards the Rajec valley and the Strážov Hills.
Cheese dairies & pasturesSalaš Pružina: 100% sheep’s bryndza in the Strážov HillsPružina28 km from the centrePružina is a village in a picturesque valley of the Strážov Hills (Strážovské vrchy) west of Považská Bystrica.Spas and thermal pools nearby
Huts, shelters and springs nearby
Getting there from Ukraine
Border crossings
- Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké — road, 24/7
- Malyi Bereznyi – Ubľa — road, 24/7 For cars and buses; pedestrians not confirmed by the Ukrainian border service, lorries up to 3.5 t.
- Mali Selmentsi – Veľké Slemence (pedestrian) — pedestrian, 09:00–21:00 Kyiv time Pedestrians and cyclists only; inconvenient for the Tatras without onward transport.
- Chop – Čierna nad Tisou (rail) — rail, 24/7
By car
From Uzhhorod to Žilina ≈330 km, ≈4 h 20 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 to Košice → D1 via Prešov, Poprad, Liptovský Mikuláš and Ružomberok (≈17 km on I/18 between D1 sections) → Žilina. To Terchová ≈314 km, ≈4 h 15 min: from the D1 onto I/70 and II/583. From Lviv through Poland: M-10 → Krakovets – Korczowa → A4 to Kraków → S7/DK7 to Chyżne – Trstená → R3, I/59 to Dolný Kubín → II/583 via Terchová to Žilina: to Terchová ≈493 km (≈6 h 30 min), to Žilina ≈518 km (≈7 h). Via the tolled A4 Kraków – Katowice, S1 and D3: ≈533 km, ≈6 h 35 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).
Checked 23.10.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.
