Roháčske pleso from Zverovka

The Roháčske plesa are among the most beautiful places in the Western Tatras and the circuit around them is perhaps the most famous hike in Orava. The four glacial lakes lie one above the other in a caldera under the mighty peaks of the Roháče Mountains, and on the way to them you will also pass the impressive Roháč waterfall.

What will you see?

First you walk through the Roháčská Valley to the Ťatliakova chata, then you climb to the roaring Roháčské waterfall. Above it, a cauldron with lakes opens up, and Ostrý Roháč, Volovec, Plačlivé or Baníkov - peaks that exceed two thousand meters - rise above the levels.

How to get there

From Zuberec, continue through the Roháčská dolina to Zverovka or to the parking lot at the Roháče-Spálená resort. The circuit leads through Adamcula to the Roháčské waterfall, further below Predný Zelený to the lakes and back down through the Smutná dolina to the Ťatliakova chata. The route is marked, measures approximately 14 km, the elevation gain is around 760 m and the entire circuit takes about 5 hours.

Good to know

• The area belongs to the Tatra National Park - only on marked trails, dogs on a leash.
• The section from the waterfall to the lakes is closed during the winter season; at that time you can only walk along Ťatliakova chata.
• Refreshments are offered by Ťatliakova chata.
• In the summer, crowds come on weekends – go early in the morning.

Photo: Huhulenik (CC BY 3.0), Jerzy Opioła (CC BY-SA 3.0), Michal Jakubsky (CC BY 3.0), Huhulenik (CC BY 3.0), Jerzy Opioła (CC BY-SA 3.0) – Wikimedia Commons