Zejmarská Gorge and the Nálepka waterfalls

The Zejmarská Gorge (Zejmarská roklina) is the shortest gorge in the Slovak Paradise National Park and the only limestone gorge in its southern part open to hikers. It cuts into the south-eastern slope of the Geravy plateau above the settlement of Biele Vody, part of the village of Dedinky in the Košice Region. The stream flowing through it is fed mainly by a very abundant karst resurgence, the Zejmarská studňa; at the bottom it joins the Hnilec by Biele Vody. The marked passage is about 1 km long (Polish Wikipedia gives 0.8 km) with 227 m of ascent, so the gorge is short but steep.

Its highlight is a chain of waterfalls named Nálepkove vodopády after Captain Ján Nálepka. He was born in nearby Smižany, worked as a teacher in Biele Vody before the war, and was killed on 16 November 1943 in the fighting for Ovruch in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region. The gorge was opened to hikers by members of the Mountain Service in 1963. From 1980 a national nature reserve of 72.65 ha protected its karst forms (rock walls, steps, waterfalls, resurgences) and preserved forest communities with rare plants and animals; on 1 June 2016 the area was incorporated into the national park’s zoning. An interesting phenomenon here is vegetation inversion: in the cold, damp floor of the gorge, mountain species grow lower than on the surrounding slopes.

Waterfalls and what to see

• The Nálepka waterfalls — several steps where water slides down limestone slabs in a narrow rock corridor.
• Iron ladders, step-rungs (stúpačky) and chains used to climb the steps, and wooden footbridges over the stream.
• Above the gorge, the meadows of the Geravy plateau with views of the Hnilec valley and the Palcmanská Maša reservoir.

The park administration describes the crossing as a short, easy hike worth doing for anyone passing Dedinky; there are fewer waterfalls here than in other gorges, but the Nálepka falls are well worth seeing.

Getting there

The start is Biele Vody. From the Dedinky, hotel junction it is about 20 minutes on the red trail to the gorge entrance. The gorge itself is climbed on the blue trail, upstream only, in about 45 minutes (Polish Wikipedia gives an hour to Geravy). The way back from Geravy to Dedinky follows the green trail, about an hour; route Zejmarská Gorge, Mouth – Dedinky. Alternatively, ride down from Geravy on the single-seat «Lanovka na Geravy» chairlift (1,989 m, about 20 minutes; upper station 1,020 m, lower station 808 m in Dedinky). According to its website it is the only operating single-seat chairlift in Slovakia; it runs from 1 May to 31 October, and from 5 October 2026 only on Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00–16:00. A one-way ticket costs €12 for adults and €9 for children and seniors. There are car parks in Dedinky and Biele Vody.

Season and safety

The gorge is accessible all year, but conditions depend on the weather; on 26 October 2026 the park listed it as open with a warning about the risk of falling trees. In winter the ladders ice over — crampons are recommended. Turning back through the gorge is not allowed. Before entering you pay the fee for using the technical facilities: €3 (aged 15–65), €2 (children 6–15 and people over 65), under 6 free. Dogs must be on a lead and muzzled in the park, but a dog cannot climb the ladders. Walk only on marked trails. Mountain Rescue Service — 18 300 or 112. As of October 2026.

Nearby

In the valley below the gorge lies the Palcmanská Maša reservoir, and a few kilometres away the Dobšinská Ice Cave. From Geravy, trails lead north to Kláštorisko – Carthusian Monastery Ruins and to the Závojový waterfall in Sokolia dolina.

Official website: npsr.sk

Photos: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Fry72, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.