Pieninská cesta
Trail map
Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences
About the trail
Route Pieninská cesta. Has red marking (national route №0905, KST). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).
Officially marked national tourist route No. 0905. The marking is red, the sign is a horizontal stripe on a white background. Marked and maintained by: KST. Length of the route — 33 km. Location: mountain range — Spišská Magura, Slovakia.
At a glance
A route of 33 km with 1,002 m of ascent. Estimated walking time: about 10 h, not counting stops — a very long day, so it is easier split into 2 days. Difficulty: hard. Waymarking: red.
Route stages
- 0–10 kmClimb of 520 m to Grúň
- 10–15 kmDescent of 510 m (down to 575 m)
- 15–20 kmClimb of 310 m to Plašná (889 m)
- 20–23 kmDescent of 410 m to Goral raftsmen of Červený Kláštor: wooden-raft trip on the Dunajec
- 23–33 kmGentle ups and downs at 430–480 m, past Sokolica, Biała Skała
Steepest kilometre: km 22–23, a descent of 210 m (≈21%).
Water and overnight stays
Springs near the trail: at km 4, 10, 16, 21, 24, 26 and 32.
Huts and shelters near the trail: Orlica Hut (km 33).
A possible split into days:
- Day 1: km 0–16, ≈5 h — overnight: no shelter nearby on the map, bring a tent
- Day 2: km 16–33, ≈5 h — finish
When to go
Best time: May to October. In winter deep snow is possible, so experience and winter gear are needed.
Getting there
This is a one-way route: the finish is 18 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 10 h, not counting stops — a very long day, so it is easier split into 2 days.
- Is there water on the route?
- Springs near the trail: at km 4, 10, 16, 21, 24, 26 and 32.
- Where can I stay overnight?
- Huts and shelters near the trail: Orlica Hut (km 33).
Water and shelter on the route
- Prameň života Springkm 3.6 from the start · Not verified · 634 m
- Ružbašský kráter Springkm 4.1 from the start · 90 m off the path · Not verified · 799 m
- Spring below Veterný vrchkm 9.7 from the start · Not verified · 1 067 m
- Žliabky Passkm 16.1 from the start · 260 m off the path · Not verified · 580 m
- Spring below Plašnákm 20.7 from the start · 100 m off the path · Not verified · 764 m
- Drinking water below Kláštorná hora (west slope), 459 mkm 23.9 from the start · 50 m off the path · Not verified · 459 m
- Spring below Klejowa (south slope)km 26.2 from the start · Not verified · 438 m
- Drinking water below Klejowakm 27.1 from the start · Not verified · 463 m
- Spring below Biała Skałakm 32.3 from the start · Not verified · 438 m
- Orlica Hutkm 32.6 from the start · 60 m off the path · Standing · 457 m
Comments
Trails nearby
All trails
EasyOne-dayMarkedPTTK Orlica Hut PrzysłopElevation profile429–992 m7.1 kmascent 568 m≈ 3 h walking
HardMulti-dayMarkedZbojnícka lúka Nižné Ružbachy, ChurchElevation profile549–1 206 m39.5 kmascent 779 m≈ 11.5 h walking
HardMulti-dayMarkedTarnów Wielki RogaczElevation profile206–1 211 m191.5 kmascent 6 941 mCraft nearby
All craft places
Water parks & thermal poolsVyšné Ružbachy Spa: Izabela Mountain Pools and Indoor Thermal Pool3.1 km from the trailVyšné Ružbachy is one of Slovakia’s oldest spas. It lies on the south-eastern slope of the Spišská Magura at about 617 m, surrounded by coniferous forest that merges...
Craft producersNestville Distillery, Hniezdne — Home of the First Slovak Whisky5 km from the trailThis tradition is the basis for BGV, a company founded in 2001, which built the Nestville Distillery here.
Craft producersSpišská Pálenica, Stará Ľubovňa: distillery tour and Spiš borovička8.8 km from the trailSpiš boasts perhaps the oldest history of distilling in Europe: at the hillfort of Myšia Hôrka near Spišský Štvrtok, part of a distillation vessel from around 1500 BC...
Craft producersCastle Distillery below Ľubovňa Castle: fruit spirits and tastings9.4 km from the trailStará Ľubovňa is a town in northern Spiš, overlooked by Ľubovňa Castle. For more than three and a half centuries Ľubovňa was one of the Spiš towns pledged to the...
Ethno tours & guidesGoral raftsmen of Červený Kláštor: wooden-raft trip on the Dunajec17 km from the trailBetween Červený Kláštor and Lesnica the Dunajec cuts a deep, winding gorge through the limestone Pieniny, and here the river becomes the border between Slovakia and...
Markets & fairsAutumn Redyk in Szczawnica: sheep drive, oscypek and shepherds18 km from the trailRedyk is an old Carpathian shepherding custom: in spring the flocks are driven up to the mountain pastures (hale), and in autumn, after the cheese-making season, they...