Roháčsky Waterfall

Roháčsky waterfall (Roháčsky vodopád) is the best-known waterfall of the Western Tatras, in the Roháče massif about 12 km east of the village of Zuberec in Orava. It lies at about 1,340 m in a deep stream bed in the forest, in the side valley of Spálená dolina that branches off the Roháčska valley. The water first drops noisily over a vertical rock step and then breaks up on the stones of a steep bed; the cascade is about 23 m long in total. Depending on the season, 500 to 1,200 litres of water per second flow over it.

In fact there are two waterfalls. The upper one, larger and more beautiful, is the one marked on maps as Roháčsky vodopád: a marked path about 100 m long leads to it. The lower waterfall — a steep bed choked with tree trunks — has no marked path, so it is best seen only from the main route. The damp stream bed by the falls is full of mountain plants, including the large white buttercup Ranunculus platanifolius, and mosses cover the stones.

What to see and do

• The upper Roháčsky waterfall — a short detour from the main trail, about half an hour's walk from the road in the Roháčska valley.
• The Roháčske plesá tarns — a staircase of four lakes on terraces below Ostrý Roháč and Plačlivé. The largest, Veľké Roháčske pleso, lies at 1,562 m. From the waterfall it is about an hour up.
• The "Roháčske plesá" nature trail — a 5.4 km loop with 525 m of ascent (about 4 hours) from the former Ťatliakova chata past the tarns and the waterfall. It is one of the finest walks in the Western Tatras.
• Ťatliakova chata (1,393 m) and the small lake beside it — a popular stop in the valley.

Practical information

Getting there. The starting point is Zuberec, then up the Roháčska valley to Zverovka, where there is a bus stop. From Zverovka you walk up the valley on an asphalt road to the Adamcula junction; from there the yellow and blue trails lead to the waterfall — about 30 minutes up and 25 minutes down. Ťatliakova chata is about 1 h 30 min from Zverovka on asphalt. The route to the waterfall is easy and suits families with children who already walk on their own; with a pushchair you can only use the paved part of the valley.

TANAP rules. The Roháčska valley belongs to the Tatra National Park. Under the visitor regulation, the blue trail from Roháčsky waterfall up to the Roháčske plesá tarns and the yellow trail from the waterfall to Baníkovské sedlo are closed from 1 November to 31 May; the nature trail from Ťatliakova chata to the tarns is closed in that period too. The approach to the waterfall itself from the road is not on the list. Hiking is allowed only in daylight and only on marked trails; do not scramble down to the lower fall off the trail. In winter there is deep snow in the valley, so proper equipment is needed.

When to go. June to October, when the loop around the tarns is also open; the waterfall is fullest during snowmelt and after rain. The park rules set no entry ticket.

Nearby

• Museum of the Orava Village near Zuberec — an open-air museum of wooden architecture.
• Orava Castle — one of the most spectacular castles in Slovakia.
• Wooden Church of All Saints in Tvrdošín (UNESCO).
• Chochołowska Valley — on the Polish side of the Western Tatras.

Official website: tanap.sk

Photos: Michal Jakubský, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Dezidor, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Juloml, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.