Zelené pleso (Kežmarské)

Zelené pleso, often called Kežmarské Zelené pleso, is a moraine lake in the Dolina Zeleného plesa valley in the north-east of the High Tatras, at 1,545 m. It is small — 1.78 ha and up to 4.5 m deep — but one of the most beautiful in the Tatras: the sheer walls of Malý Kežmarský štít, Jastrabia veža and neighbouring peaks rise above it, and a mountain hut (Chata pri Zelenom plese) stands on the northern shore. The lake lies within the historic boundaries of the town of Kežmarok.

The unusual greenish colour of the water long puzzled chamois hunters and treasure seekers. They made up legends about a gem that had fallen into the tarn from the walls of Jastrabia veža. The explanation came later: the colour comes from springs rising from the lake bed. According to legend, the lake was once larger, but Count Thököly had the natural dam breached while searching for his lost son. The name first appeared in print — as Grünsee — in 1644, in the work of David Frölich of Kežmarok.

What to see and do

• The lake and its amphitheatre of peaks — one of the most photogenic places in the Slovak Tatras; chamois are often seen on the slopes around.
• The mountain hut by the lake — a place to rest and eat after the climb.
• Veľké Biele pleso — about 35 minutes along the Tatranská magistrála from the hut.
• For experienced hikers: the yellow trail from the hut up Jahňací štít — about 2 h 15 min up — and the red magistrála over the saddle below Svišťovka to Skalnaté pleso (about 3 hours).

Practical information

Getting there. The easiest route starts at the Kežmarská Biela voda bus stop on the Cesta slobody road between Tatranské Matliare and Kežmarské Žľaby. From there the yellow trail follows the Kežmarská Biela voda stream, partly on a gravel road with hairpins, to the hut by the lake; Polish guidebooks give about 3 h 15 min up and a little less down. Another option is from Tatranská Kotlina past the Plesnivec hut to Veľké Biele pleso and on to Zelené pleso. From Skalnaté pleso you can come along the Tatranská magistrála over the saddle below Svišťovka (about 2 hours). The route from Biela voda is long but technically easy — fine for fit families with school-age children; not for pushchairs.

TANAP rules. The trail from Biela voda to the lake is open all year, but high-mountain routes are closed from 1 November to 31 May: the yellow trail up Jahňací štít, the red magistrála from Zelené pleso to the saddle below Svišťovka (and from the observatory at Skalnaté pleso), and the trails from Veľké Biele pleso to Kopské sedlo. Hiking is allowed only in daylight and only on marked trails. The area is part of the Dolina Bielej vody national nature reserve.

When to go. June–October; in winter the tarn can be reached from Biela voda, but proper equipment and caution are needed. The park rules set no entry ticket.

Nearby

• Skalnaté pleso and the Lomnický štít cable car.
• Belianska Cave in Tatranská Kotlina.
• Kežmarok Castle — in the town the tarn historically belongs to.
• Ždiar — a Goral village below the Belianske Tatras.

Official website: tanap.sk

Photos: Punteador, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Radek Oliwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Eligiusz Jakimowicz, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Katarína Senajová, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Qwerty Qwertik, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Midnight Runner, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.