Hikes in Šumiac

The King's Rock (Král'ova skala) can also be considered a subsidiary peak of the King's Hill (Král'ova hol'a). It is 1690 meters high. A spectacular, exciting rocky peak with a wonderful panorama.

Beautiful, easy-going hike to the highest peak of the Stolické vrchy and Slovenské rudohorie, 1476 m, with views of the Low Tatras, High Tatras, Slovak Paradise, Klenovský Vepor, Muránska planina. Below the summit, the 110 km journey of the Slaná river through Slovakia begins. You'll catch your breath only on a relatively short section, covering a decent 18 km with an elevation gain of up to 700 m, making a loop route.

Kráľova hoľa is the highest peak in the eastern part of the Low Tatras and a popular hiking destination with magnificent views. The ascent from Šumiac or Telgárt is a moderately difficult hike with an elevation gain of more than 1,000 meters.

A round-trip hike to the summit of Király-hegy (Kráľova hoľa) in the Low Tatras.

Today we’re climbing the highest peak in the eastern Low Tatras, the 1,946-meter-high Králʼova holʼa. We can see the tall TV tower almost the entire time we’re hiking, but we’re having a hard time getting any closer to it. Filled with a sense of accomplishment at having conquered the challenges of the 5-day long-distance trail, the 1,060 meters of descent to Telgárt fly by. At the end of the hike, we can admire the Chmarošský Viaduct, one of the most famous and beautiful engineering landmarks in Slovakia. The 113.6-meter-long and 18-meter-high railway bridge was built in the 1930s. It was the first reinforced concrete arch structure in what was then Czechoslovakia. And here’s one more recommendation! Don’t you know that feeling of not quite having arrived after a long hike? An old Native American proverb says that the soul needs time to catch up. That’s why I (the author speaking here) suggest staying a few days at Penzión u Hanky and letting yourself be pampered.> From Útulňa Andrejcová01 (1,405 m), we walk about 125 m southwest along yesterday’s outbound route back to the main ridge, then take a sharp left to begin the final leg of the 5-day hike. Just 2.5 km from the starting point, we reach the first waypoint, Ždiarske sedlo02 (1,437 m). From here on, the trail climbs steadily; we hike exclusively above the tree line across the high-altitude meadows so typical of the Low Tatras. At the 5.5-kilometer mark from the starting point, we reach our first summit, Orlová03 (1,840 m). Clearly visible—provided the weather is nice, of course—is the 138-meter-high TV tower on Král’ova hol’a. More often than in other regions of the Low Tatras, the section leading up to the next waypoint is foggy. Nevertheless, finding your way on the wide, well-trodden trail is no problem. We reach Králʼova holʼa04 (1,946 m), which is the highest mountain in the eastern part of the Low Tatras and represents the last significant peak on the eastern edge of the range. A television transmitter was installed here in 1960. The transmitter building houses emergency shelter for tourists. On the road, which is closed to public traffic, we walk about 500 m downhill from the monument, then turn right onto the downhill trail at the end of the road’s long left-hand curve. Shortly thereafter, we cross the access road once more and then pass a house. Where the trail ends at a forest road, we walk about 50 m to the left along this forest road, then turn right to continue descending on the trail that begins there. We reach the first houses of the village of Telgárt. On the way to the main road, we pass a small kiosk. We walk along the shoulder of the main road to the left, past the Penzión u Hanky, and on to the very spartan Telgárt05 train station (882 m). From there, you can see the imposing and often-photographed Chmarošský railway viaduct.

The holiday bike ride along the Balaton, with a short visit in Budapest, through Muránska planina National Park and Low Tatras. The trip lasted from 30th August till 7th September.