Three-in-one family gorge hike

Itinerary

• Starting at the border of Terchová (Terhely), next to the Hotel Diery, we follow the K marking into the gorge system called the Jánošík Gorge (Jánošíkove diery).
• We walk along the lower section of the gorge (Dolné diery) following the K marking up to the Ostrvné fork.
• At the Ostrvné fork, we turn left following the S marking (this is the mandatory direction of travel).
• Following the S marking, we climb the Nové diery gorge and then reach the mountain settlement of Podžiar on the hillside.
• From here, turning left and uphill, we again follow the K marking and climb the upper gorge of the stream (Horné diery).
• At the end of the gorge (Pod Pálenicou fork), we turn right and descend back towards Podžiar on the Z marking.
• Upon reaching the meadow, we turn right again on the S marking and head back to Podžiar.
• We follow the K marking in the direction of the stream flow, passing through the Dolné diery gorge all the way back to the starting point.

Detailed description of the route

Although the so-called limestone ridge does not form a continuous range in the Carpathians, but consists of a series of isolated peaks, we find a few spectacular karst areas in the mountain ring that are impressive even by international comparison. From a scientific and hiking perspective, the Slovak Paradise (Káposztafalvi Karst), the Gömör-Torna Karst, and the Pádis Plateau are the most interesting, as they hide the richest karst formations. Regarding the gorges, the well-known Békás Gorge in the Eastern Carpathians, the Néra Gorge in the Southern Carpathians, or the Szádelői Valley located in Slovakia certainly have much grander scenery than our destination, the Slovak Paradise, whereas the Romanian Remetei Gorge offers much more rugged terrain.

The approximately 50 km long, southwest-northeast oriented Malá Fatra, located in the Northwestern Carpathians, is generally not known for its karst phenomena, although similarly to many other high mountain ranges here (e.g., the Low Tatras, Liptov Hills), significant remnants of limestone coverings can be found on the northern side of this mountain range built of crystalline rocks. So much so, that one of the iconic rock cliffs of the entire Northwestern Carpathians, the Nagy-Rozsutec (Veľký Rozsutec), rises here. In the side of this mountain block originate two streams that formed the gorge system known among Slovaks as the Jánošík Gorge (Jánošíkove diery). Yes, two streams but three gorges: the lower part of the gorge system, the Dolné diery touched in the first part of our route, and its upper part (Horné diery) are formed by the careful work of the Hlboky stream. The Nové diery ("new gorge") was formed by another stream, and the two streams merge above Terchová (Terhely) at the Ostrvné fork. We explore three different, individually impressive, and moreover, characteristically diverse gorge sections on our hike.

The somewhat forced tourist name of the gorge system may be due to the fact that the most famous Slovak outlaw, Juraj Jánošík, was born here; his monumental statue can be found on the other side of the settlement, at the entrance to the Vrátna (Vratna) valley. Whether it was worth turning the gorge system into a walking terrain by installing planks and safe stairs is for everyone to decide after the hike, but regardless, remember: a huge adventure awaits us in one of nature's especially spectacular creations!

The first and most spectacular section (Dolné diery)

The starting point of the route is impossible to miss: huge posters with beautiful images advertise the natural spectacle, and significant infrastructure has been built for the easily accessible gorge hike. Car parks, restaurants, and numerous hotels welcome visitors at the entrance, so it is advisable to start early on weekdays, especially if you don’t want to queue in the gorges.

We quickly leave the buildings following the K marking and are immediately surrounded by the wild world of the Carpathians unlike anything else. The trail soon reaches the stream, and the first plank sections appear that turn the gorge hike into a pleasant walk, and shortly after, the two gigantic walls dramatically narrow around us. From the car park, we only need to cover 1 km (with about 110 meters of elevation gain) until the cliff walls towering above us almost completely close in overhead. On this truly spectacular section, there is nothing left to do but marvel, as we can easily walk along wooden or metal planks without climbing. Immediately after the narrowing, we find the Ostrvné fork, where we leave the lower part of the gorge (Dolné diery) and turn onto the S marking, which leads us into the depths of Nové diery. (But remember, we will return here from the opposite direction at the end of our route).

Second section: Gorge hike for intermediate hikers (Nové diery)

Entering Nové diery is also a comfortable walk thanks to the stable stairs and massive metal plank walkways. This section is also very spectacular, as the small, narrow eastern gorge leads between towering cliff walls, with a rushing stream that sounds a thousand different tones. After the stairs, the gap remains but we must walk along the stones: this is a somewhat more exciting part, especially during high water levels. 

However, we only get a short but very spectacular taste from this gorge, as the S-marked trail soon climbs out of the steep mountainside and runs parallel to Dolné diery, reaching the pleasant mountain meadow of Podžiar within just 1.2 km, where the valley of the Hlboky stream significantly widens. We won’t be bored on the way, as there is an educational trail along the route and a great viewpoint from which we can look down at the wild rocky world of Dolné diery from above. At Podžiar, a buffet and restaurant are open during the season, making it worthwhile to linger, as the area opens up and offers views of the surrounding mountains, and children can also "play in the stream." Of course, it’s also worth recharging a bit before the more serious adventure ahead...

Third section: "If the stakes are low, my mood is dark" (Horné diery)

Although there is actually no reason for it, fortunately, far fewer people dare to take on Horné diery (many only walk up to the buffets from the car park and then back). The stream valley becomes much steeper in this section; the hiking trail heads towards the pass between Nagy-Rozsutec (Veľký Rozsutec) and Kis-Rozsutec (Malý Rozsutec). In the gorge itself, we climb 225 meters in 1.2 km. However, thanks to the built infrastructure, this is still more a walk than a climb, and we use our hands only rarely except gripping stair railings. The path surprisingly made this impressive gorge accessible: instead of ladders, there are steep stairs alongside and above waterfalls; falling would really be a great feat. Don’t expect the wild ladders and slippery logs of Slovak Paradise here – but always watch children carefully! Sometimes we have to hold on to the wall with our hands resting on the rocks, but not in exposed places, and a wire rope also helps us; the chance of falling is indeed minimal. However, be aware that sometimes we need to be careful between the rocks, and here there is indeed a risk that a careless move might cause a splash, and we will get wet.

Of course, the gorge is beautifully scenic: it is worth lingering around the pots carved by water and, of course, before the smaller and larger waterfalls, listening to the roar, babble, and gurgle of the water, contemplating what an immense amount of time the rushing stream took to carve this fissure, even if its incision was followed or reinforced by the parallel uplift of the mountain range.

Our gorge hike ends at the Pod Pálenicou fork; from here, the watercourse takes on the appearance of an ordinary mountain stream, which is far from boring. But from now on, no climbing or significant rapids can be found along the watercourse, so gorge hikers return to the valley on the Z marking – as we do. We descend a steep slope, then reach a spacious, pine-studded, beautiful meadow where the space dramatically opens up before us, and in clear weather, we have a view of the main ridge of the Malá Fatra disappearing into the mist. Turning right on the S marking, we can again sip our drinks at Podžiar within a few minutes.

The final section: Dolné diery again

And it’s still not over, as the fourth section follows. From Podžiar, on the K marking, we descend through an unvisited section of Dolné diery. Here too, amazement is the main theme; except for a staircase beside a smaller waterfall, we walk comfortably along planks all the way to the already familiar Ostrvné fork, from where we can return to the car park along the previously traveled route. Expect greater traffic on this section again.