Štrbské Pleso in the High Tatras. (source: TASR)
Summer season in the High Tatras is about to begin. According to the new visitor regulations, the national park's hiking trails will open on Saturday, June 1.
However, the start of the summer season also brings with it new rules. This fact was highlighted on the website of the Tatra National Park Administration (TANAP), which noted that the new visitor regulations introduce several significant changes to the activities that can be undertaken within the national park.
These include hiking and other mountain sports.
What the new visitor regulations change for the 2024 summer season:
Hiking with dogs in high-altitude areas is no longer allowed.
The seasonal closure is shortened.
Climbing of lower difficulty is introduced.
Four cycling routes are extended.
Climbers and ski mountaineers must register before each tour.
Climbers, ski mountaineers and kayakers must have permits.
Ongoing restrictions
Although all marked hiking trails will be fully open from June 1, the section of the red trail from Hrebienok to the Rainerova chata mountain hat remains closed due to a landslide last year.
"There is still a serious risk to life and health. Instead, hikers can use the detour marked in green," the TANAP Administration stated, adding that it plans future repairs.
New designated areas
New designated areas allow visitors to legally leave the trail: for a distance of 25 metres around each peak, near cable car stations, mountain huts, etc. This legalises current practice, as these are spots where people tend to relax.
The time restrictions for hiking have changed. Previously, you could hike from an hour after sunrise to an hour before sunset. Now, hiking is allowed during "daylight hours," defined as sunrise to sunset at the location. This means you can hike to a hut like Brnčalka after work, as long as you follow the shortest route and avoid disturbing wildlife.
Climbing and high-mountain hiking
Climbers must present a valid membership card from their national climbing association, which can include foreign associations such as the Czech or Austrian climbing federations.
Traditional high-mountain hiking with certified guides has ended. The new regulations distinguish between high-difficulty and low-difficulty climbing, the latter effectively replacing high-mountain hiking. Previously, this required membership in the Slovak Tourist Club (KST) or the Slovak High-Mountain Tourist Association (SVTS), completion of a high-mountain hiking course, and hiking with a guide.
Now, participants must have a climbing association card and proof of basic training from an authorised person, as referenced in the sports expert section of the Sports Act.
Restrictions on dog walking
Walking with pet dogs is now limited to designated trail sections and paved roads. Dogs are not allowed in high-altitude areas or most Tatra huts, according to the new regulations.
Examples of dog-friendly routes include the trail from the Popradské pleso stop to Popradské pleso, the path from Tatranská Polianka to Sliezsky Dom, and the trail from the mouth of the Žiarska Valley to the Žiarska chata mountain hut. Additionally, the blue trail to Chata pod Soliskom and the routes from Podbanské to the Tichá and the Kôprová valleys are accessible to dog walkers.
Detailed restrictions and maps are available on the TANAP website.
Cycling tourism
Cycling is allowed only during daylight hours, except on Class I, II, and III roads and local roads. You can cycle in designated areas listed in the visitor regulations and marked cycling routes, which should be on the park's website, though they cannot currently be found there.
In the Bielovodská Valley, the cycling route extends to the climbing campsite, and in the Kôprová Valley, it extends from Kmeť's Waterfall to the shelter below the Garajova Valley. The Javorová Valley will also be accessible up to the forester's lodge at Pod Muráňom.
In the Orava part of the Tatras, almost the entire Bobrovecká Valley and at least part of the Tichá Valley up to the forester's lodge should be open to cyclists. The visitor regulations list designates areas in the Western Tatras, including Žiarska Valley, Zuberec – Ťatliakova Chalet, Látaná Valley, and Oravice – Bobrovecká Valley. However, the exact turnaround points in these valleys are unclear due to the illegible map.
Geocaching is not forgotten
Cyclists have extended routes, including nearly reaching the campsite at Poľana under Vysoká in the Bielovodská Valley and up to the shelter below the Garajova Valley in the Kôprová Valley. The visitor regulations now include 22 designated cycling areas from Oravice to Tatranská Javorina.
Geocaching is also accounted for in the new regulations, allowing seekers to use marked trails, educational paths, and cycling routes. Specific rules apply to them as well.
Areas for kayakers
New designated areas for kayakers have been added, including two spots on the Belá River and the Studený Stream in Orava.
"According to the visitor regulations, only members of tourist or sports organisations focused on water tourism or slalom can kayak these waterways," the national park noted.
