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Hiking Trail
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Hiking in the wild valley of the Páris stream
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Visiting the canyon valley can usually be done without getting your feet wetPhoto: Vörös Attila, Hungarian Hiking Association
The gorge valley of the Páris stream has become known as the "palóc Grand Canyon". Over millennia, the stream carved a 20-30 meter deep valley into the sedimentary layers of the Etesi ditch, where geology enthusiasts can see unique imprint caves. We recommend a short but rich hike to adventurers along the valley's trail.
The Páris stream valley lies on the andesite range between Nógrádszakál and Litke. The valley opens near the left bank of the Ipoly river, though water supply is rare, and the stream bed mostly appears as a dry ditch. Usually, the gorge can be crossed with dry feet; water flow may increase noticeably only after heavy rain or snowmelt, when waters cascade visibly from surrounding slopes. Our short hike leads deep into the gorge, introducing its side branches and returning to the starting point. With due care, it is an enriching program with children to discover the "palóc Grand Canyon"!
Erosion
Everyone knows the power of flowing water from flooded rivers’ destructive effects. Water’s power is greater when it carries sediment - this is also the case in the Páris stream valley, where the creek carves deeper into the gravel-sandstone layer. Nowadays, this happens only after heavier rainfalls or snowmelt; during this century, the stream flows only temporarily. But it was not always so during the past millennia, which has shaped the deep gorge valley. Walking along it, one can peer into the heart of the mountain and examine the succession of sedimentary layers on the steep wall in exceptional detail.
Imprint caves
The water has eroded through various sedimentary layers, and also uncovered tree imprints and cavities preserved in the solidified volcanic rock. Our country's first imprint cave was discovered in one of the Páris stream's side branches, where we can witness this phenomenon: the deep holes formed on the steep walls of the valley mark the places of trees whose fossilized remains have mostly vanished, but the marks remain. Some of these imprints are larger than two meters long and spacious enough to fit a person; by domestic law, these are classified as caves!
The detailed hike description can be read under the Itinerary menu.
Author’s recommendation
- There is no water source along the hiking route; it's advisable to refill in Nógrádszakál.
- Steeper, slippery sections are mainly on the Z+ marked path, so extra caution is recommended there.
- Public transport access is difficult for this hike, and it is also short, so it is best viewed as a 'quick stop' hiking trip from a car.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
- The gorge walls are brittle and slippery; do not attempt to climb them, and do not visit the edge of the gorge from above!
Roadbook
Itinerary
- Starting from the parking lot, follow the Z marking towards the depths of the mountain.
- At the gorge left sign, turn left to walk through the "palóc Grand Canyon".
- At the closing rock of the gorge, turn back.
- When you reach the sign, continue briefly on the Z marked trail.
- At the junction, turn right onto the Z+ marked path.
- On the Z+ marked route, you will return near the starting point to the Z marked path.
- Turn left to get back to the parking lot.
Detailed description of the hike
At the entrance of the valley
The gorge valley was carved into the sedimentary surface by the Páris stream, which once had a much larger water flow thousands of years ago. Due to the large grain size of the sediment it carried, it had a strong erosional capability, carving deeply into the rock in places. The result of this erosion is the narrow, deep trench a few meters wide, commonly called the "palóc Grand Canyon" in everyday language.
We start our path from the parking lot created at the mouth of the stream valley. On the Z route head towards the mountain, and after 100 meters, you will arrive at a well-equipped, solidly built resting place covered with informational boards. Reading these texts you can learn about the geological structure of the area, the sequence of geological layers and the results of the stream's erosion. You can also get information about the formation of imprint caves.
Continue on the Z marking, soon arriving at the intersection with the Z+ marked hiking trail. Stay on the Z route, and as you go deeper into the mountain, the Páris valley narrows and deepens considerably. It has several side branches; the wildest one is accessed by leaving the Z marked hiking trail at the "Gorge" sign and turning left. This is the "palóc Grand Canyon" itself, where after 250 meters you reach the closing rock.
The gorge
The gorge’s vertical walls reach up to about 20 meters high, built from light-colored sedimentary rocks. In the narrower sections, thanks to the depth and the dense surrounding forest, little light reaches the bottom. In the wider openings, one can observe the fallen rocks from the walls and the fresh vegetation continuing in the gorge: mosses, ferns, herbaceous plants, and some smaller trees. The short gorge valley ends with a large rock mass made of harder material; the Páris stream can no longer erode it and flows around it underground.
On the valley walls, notice the different sedimentary layers stacked on each other and the cavities of former trees. These mostly appear as holes 20-50 cm in diameter in the sandstone, but larger openings exist as well. Any cavity large enough to fit a person and longer than 2 meters is classified as a cave.
The closing stone of the gorge is the result of an interesting phenomenon. The Páris stream was able to erode the soft sedimentary rock until this point, but here the cascading water met a more resistant rock, where erosion is a much slower process. The stream falls here almost invisibly as a small waterfall – in times of higher water flow it would be very visible. Erosion does not stop, and beneath the harder rock it continues carving the softer sediments, which will likely result in collapses at the valley’s end and the walls. This hazard is currently minimal, but a warning sign requests hikers to avoid staying close to the rock walls.
The side branches
After exploring the gorge valley, head back towards the intersection of the Z and Z+ trails, then start climbing the Z+ steps upwards. This is where you quickly gain most of the altitude for the circular hike, so it was a good idea to build stairs to help hikers on the steep hillside. The hiking trail continues as a charming path where the forest’s quiet is barely disturbed by human noise. In the last third of the short route, you walk above another side branch of the Páris valley. This is also quite a deep gorge, though its walls are not as steep as those of the "palóc Grand Canyon". The trail follows the ridge of the trench. After the narrow depths, the experience of open space on the forest path is liberating as you return to the parking lot. A final steep descent brings you to the Z marked hiking trail. Turning left on it, you soon return to the resting place, then the parking lot.
Public transport
- The nearest bus stop to the departure parking lot is Nógrádszakál, őrház.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
- From the bus stop, follow the Z marking north along the main road. The marking turns into the forest at the gorge (900 m, 8 m elevation gain).
Parking
- At the entrance of the valley, crossing the railway, there is a spacious, free parking lot.
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
- Karancs-Medves hiking map
Equipment
Basic hiking equipment: boots or hiking shoes, clothing suitable for the season, drinking water, food. For navigation, use the Természetjáró app.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions