Piecky Gorge and its waterfalls

Piecky is a limestone karst gorge in the north-western part of the Slovak Paradise National Park, between Suchá Belá to the north and Veľký Sokol to the south. Its lower mouth lies at 579 m by the settlement of Píla (Hrabušická Píla), its upper end at about 940 m near Malá Poľana on the edge of the Glac plateau. The Píľanka stream flows through it: it rises on Glac and joins the Veľká Biela voda at Píla. The water level is very changeable — in dry spells the stream disappears into the karst, while after long rain some sections become impassable. The marked passage is 3.3 km long with about 300 m of ascent.

The name means «little ovens»: falling water has hollowed out pits beneath the waterfalls that resemble the mouths of old ovens. The gorge has two side branches — Zadné and Predné Piecky — closed to visitors; the marked path follows Stredné (Middle) Piecky, and the lower part up to the Veľký waterfall is called Biela dolina (White Valley). Piecky was the last major gorge of the Slovak Paradise to be crossed by hikers: the first known passage is credited to Alexander (Sándor) Mervay and his companions in 1911. In 1930 part of the gorge was destroyed when a forest road was built. A reserve was declared here in 1964 (245 ha); since 2016 it has been zone A with the highest level of protection. Fire salamanders live here, and rare plants include the globeflower and green spleenwort.

Waterfalls and what to see

• Veľký vodopád (Big Waterfall) — the dominant feature, about half an hour from the entrance. Its rock step is climbed by the longest vertical iron ladder in the whole Slovak Paradise — 13 m.
• Kaskády (Cascades) and Terasový (Terrace) waterfall further upstream — both also passed by iron ladders.
• Wooden footbridges and log ladders above the stream in narrow canyons, and in autumn the bright beech woods of Biela dolina.

According to the park’s tourist portal, Piecky is one of the quieter gorges, with smaller crowds than neighbouring Suchá Belá.

Getting there

The start is the settlement of Píla (Piecky – Píla), less than 5 km from the Podlesok tourist centre, with a paid car park and a snack bar. The yellow trail Píla – Under Vtáčí Hrb leads through the gorge; passage is upstream only and takes about 2 hours. The shortest way back to Píla: Piecky, top — Glac, Malá poľana — Malá poľana junction — Palc junction — Píla. You can also follow the yellow trail to the end of Suchá Belá and Pod Vtáčim hrbom, and from there go on to Podlesok or Kláštorisko.

The route is fairly demanding: many ladders, rungs and footbridges, wet rock. Turning back through the gorge is forbidden — in many places people cannot pass each other, and bypassing over the rocks is extremely dangerous. Polish Wikipedia records that on 29 May 2026 a 67-year-old hiker died here after leaving her group and turning back near the Veľký waterfall. So decide before you enter: with small children, a fear of heights or a dog (a dog cannot climb the ladders) choose a different walk.

Season, rules, safety

The gorge is open all year, but it is closed at high water after heavy rain; the status is posted on the park website, on hzs.sk and on the board at the entrance. In winter the ladders ice over — crampons are recommended. Before entering you pay the fee: €3 for adults aged 15–65, €2 for children aged 6–15 and people over 65, under 6 free (the ticket is valid that day in all gorges except Suchá Belá, which has its own rate). Dogs must be on a lead and muzzled in the park. Keep to marked trails; tents only in campsites. Mountain Rescue Service — 18 300 (or 112). As of October 2026.

Nearby

The closest neighbours are the Suchá Belá Gorge and Veľký Sokol (both start near Píla and Podlesok); a little further are Kláštorská Gorge and the Hornád River Gorge (Prielom Hornádu).

Official website: npsr.sk

Photos: Silvio Pašmik, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Rudolphs no uno, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; Petr Kraumann, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.