Jamské pleso

Jamské pleso is a small forest lake at the foot of Kriváň, an hour's walk west of Štrbské Pleso. It lies at 1,447 m among the massive moraine ridges of Važecká dolina, which continue the southern shoulder of Kriváň and are called Jamy — hence the name of the tarn. In the past it was also called Jamskô pleso (1911) and Kriváňske pleso (1952). The lake is part of the Važecká dolina national nature reserve in Tatra National Park (TANAP).

The tarn is small: according to measurements from 1961–1967, 0.67–0.69 ha and about 4.2 m deep; older data (before 1956) gave 0.5 ha and 5 m. The water is not very clear — about 2.5 m — but on calm days it mirrors the spruces and Swiss stone pines (limbas) around the shore. On the western shore TANAP staff planted a stone pine grove in honour of the heroes of the Slovak National Uprising.

In 1935–1943 a small private hut stood on the eastern shore, built by the well-known Slovak climber and organiser of tourism Gustáv Nedobrý (1893–1966). To attract guests he built a road to the tarn and renamed it Kriváňske pleso; according to the caption of an old 1937 postcard, there was even a swimming pool on the shore. The hut burned down in February 1943, and its remains were destroyed by retreating German troops in 1944.

What to see and do

• A quiet forest tarn — one of the few High Tatra lakes in the forest, with trees reflected in the water; a nice rest stop on the Tatranská magistrála.
• A view of Jamy and Kriváň — from the climb to Pavlov chrbát you see the tarn in the forest, the moraine ridges and the whole lower part of Važecká dolina.
• The start for Kriváň — at the junction by the lake the blue trail to the national mountain of the Slovaks begins.

How to get there

The tarn lies right on the red Tatranská magistrála (Tatra Highway): Podbanské – Veľké Biele pleso. From Štrbské Pleso (1,346 m) to Jamské pleso takes 1 h 10 min, 1 h back; the ascent is only about 100 m, so it is an easy forest walk that suits families with children too (the path is not suitable for prams). From Tri studničky along the magistrála it takes 1 h 30 min, 1 h back. Another approach is the blue trail from the Biely Váh bus stop on Cesta Slobody. From the junction by the lake the blue Biely Váh – Kriváň route climbs over Pavlov chrbát to the summit of Kriváň (2,495 m): the whole way from Biely Váh takes about 5 h up, and from Štrbské Pleso 5 h 10 min.

Season and safety

The magistrála to the tarn is open all year, so in winter you can come here on snowshoes. The blue trail from the junction by Jamské pleso to Kriváň, however, is closed from 1 November to 31 May (§ 4 of the TANAP Visitor Regulations, decree 26/2023). Entry to TANAP is free. You may walk only on marked trails and only in daylight; dogs are not allowed on the blue trail to Kriváň, and drones are banned without a permit. There is a hikers' shelter by the lake — TANAP repaired it in July 2026. Mountain Rescue Service HZS: 18 300, general emergency number 112.

Nearby

• Štrbské pleso — an hour east along the magistrála.
• Kriváň — the summit above the tarn.
• Skok Waterfall — in the neighbouring Mlynická dolina.
• Capie pleso — the largest lake of Mlynická dolina.

Official website: tanap.sk

Photos: Hugo, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.