Štart – Skalnaté pleso
Trail map
Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences
About the trail
Route Štart – Skalnaté pleso. Has blue marking (regional route №2908, KST). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
Officially marked regional tourist route No. 2908. The marking is blue, the sign is a horizontal stripe on a white background. Marked and maintained by: KST. Length of the route — 7.7 km. Location: mountain range — High Tatras, Slovakia. The route is in the Tatra National Park (TANAP): high-altitude sections are closed from November 1 to June 15 — before heading out, check the current dates at tanap.sk.
At a glance
A short route of 7.7 km with 631 m of ascent from Štart to Skalnaté pleso. Estimated walking time: about 3 h, not counting stops. Difficulty: moderate. Waymarking: blue.
Route stages
- 0–1.5 kmGentle ups and downs at 1,130–1,180 m
- 1.5–7 kmClimb of 550 m (up to 1,722 m)
- 7–7.5 kmAlong the ridge at 1,720–1,760 m
Steepest kilometre: km 5–6, a climb of 140 m (≈14%), near Sedlo pod Malou Svišťovkou.
Water and overnight stays
A spring near the trail: at km 7.
Huts and shelters near the trail: Skalnatá Hut (km 7.5).
When to go
Best time: June to September. In winter only for experienced hikers with proper gear: avalanche danger is possible. About 3 km of the route runs above 1,500 m, where the weather changes quickly — check the forecast.
Getting there
Start: Štart. This is a one-way route: the finish is 2 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.
FAQ
- How long does the route take?
- Estimated walking time: about 3 h, not counting stops.
- Is there water on the route?
- A spring near the trail: at km 7.
- Where can I stay overnight?
- Huts and shelters near the trail: Skalnatá Hut (km 7.5).
Water and shelter on the route
- Spring below Huncovský štítkm 7 from the start · 250 m off the path · Not verified · 1 918 m
- Skalnatá Hutkm 7.7 from the start · 220 m off the path · Standing · 1 725 m
Comments
Trails nearby
All trails
ModerateOne-dayMarkedTatranská Lomnica Skalnaté plesoElevation profile852–1 763 m5.9 kmascent 911 m≈ 3.5 h walking
HardMulti-dayMarkedTatranská magistrála (Tatra Highway): Podbanské Veľké Biele plesoElevation profile929–2 043 m50.1 kmascent 1 639 m
HardOne-dayMarkedBiela voda, car park Jahňací štítElevation profile917–2 230 m10.1 kmascent 1 313 m≈ 5 h walkingCraft nearby
All craft places
Water parks & thermal poolsAquaCity Poprad water park14 km from the trailAquaCity Poprad is a large year-round water park and wellness complex in the town of Poprad, a few minutes from the centre; according to the complex, the High Tatras...
Craft beer & breweriesMinipivovar TATRAS, Poprad14 km from the trailMinipivovar TATRAS is a brewpub on Poprad’s main square, Námestie sv. Egídia, housed in a building with a long brewing history.
Cheese dairies & pasturesShepherd's Hut on Rusinowa Polana15 km from the trailRusinowa Polana is one of the most beautiful mountain glades in the Polish Tatras, and from May to October it is home to the bacówka (shepherd's hut) of baca Stanisław...
Water parks & thermal poolsThermal Park Vrbov16 km from the trailThermal Park Vrbov is one of the best-known thermal baths in the Spiš region, on the southern edge of the village of Vrbov, about 6 km (as the crow flies) from...
Cheese dairies & pasturesU Jancoka Shepherd's Hut, Brzegi: oscypek from Poland's first female baca19 km from the trailThe U Jancoka shepherd's hut (bacówka) stands beside regional road 960, which runs from Bukowina Tatrzańska to the Łysa Polana border crossing, in the village of Brzegi.
Water parks & thermal poolsTermy Bukovina20 km from the trailTermy Bukovina is a modern thermal pool complex in Bukowina Tatrzańska, a village lying about a thousand metres above sea level on the edge of the Tatra National Park.