Educational Trails

Educational Trail Pramenisko

The educational trail is a part of an almost 3,5-kilometer long loop walk that starts next to the Botanical garden in Tatranská Lomnica. Because of its uniqueness, Pramenisko was declared a national nature reserve (the area with the highest level of protection). It belongs to the list of 72 nationally significant wetlands and is a part of the network of European important habitats Natura 2000 in the category of montane and submontane alluvial forests.

The path to Educational Trail Pramenisko starts at the Botanical Garden in Tatranská Lomnica. There is a guidepost with an arrow that helps us with the orientation throughout the whole track. We continue along the green trail and walk around the Hotel Titris from the left side. After a while walking through a meadow, continue following the mark and turn left uphill to the cemetery. At the cemetery, follow the green mark to the right. After a while we arrive at a road, which we pass and continue approximately 100 meters straight to the beginning of the educational trail Pramenisko, which welcomes us with a wooden gate. The trail itself is only 0,8 km long and we will find five information panels where we can learn about the unique area where water plays a special role. It’s a montane alluvial forest with interesting facts from the realm of rocks, minerals, herbs and animals. Part of the trail are two observation platforms, which allow visitors to observe the surroundings almost from a bird’s perspective. The walkways are made of wooden boards to comfortably walk in otherwise difficult to navigate wet environments. At the beginning and end of the trail are information materials in a wooden box for German and English speaking tourists that can be borrowed. The trail is accessible all year round, however during the winter months the boards are usually covered in snow, so you may not have the access to the information. It’s also better to visit the trail during the vegetation period of plants, which will enhance the experience of visiting the trail. We can go back the same route or we can turn right at the end of the trail above the Tatranec camp and go back to Tatranská Lomnica. You’ll manage to do the whole circuit in less than two hours.

Location: Tatranská Lomnica, Botanical garden
Transition time: 1:16 hours
↔   4,4 km

Astronomical Educational Trail

Currently, the educational trail contains 13 panels with the most important information not only about the instrumentation of the Astronomical Institute but also about celestial bodies. The trail starts at the main building of the institute and ends at the last dome with binoculars. From Tatranská Lomnica, a trail leads to it, either for pedestrians, but it also serves as a cycle path. We can also come here by car and park directly in front of the Slovak Academy of Sciences building, where the trail begins. The trail is nicely marked, the boards are numbered, always showing the direction to the next station. A few times a year, the institute opens its doors during the Open Day and the Science and Technology Week. Dates are available HERE.

The trail is accessible all year round, in summer the trail is a pleasant addition to the bike trip.

1. Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2. Sun
3. Planet
4. Moon
5. Comet and asteroid
6. Meteor and meteorite
7. Pavilion G1
8. Institute of Geophysics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Meteorological observatory
9. Star
10. Horizontal solar telescope
11. Galaxy
12. Universe
13. Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Pavilion G2

Location: Astronomický ústav, Stará Lesná – Tatranská Lomnica
Transition time: 0:30 hours
↔   1 km

Educational trail of nature and landscape protectors

You can find the educational trail of nature and landscape protectors in Tatranská Lomnica between Grand hotel Praha and the building of old cable car to Skalnaté Pleso and Lomnický peak. The trail leads from Tatranská Lomnica to Tatranské Matliare and you will get to Hotel Sorea Hutník. You can find here four panels which will acquaint us with the history of cable cars, with the tatra  fauna and flora, we wil learn about the history of Tatranské Matliare and Tatranská Lomnica.

The total lenght of the educational trail is about 1,7 km and we will cross it in about half an hour. The sidewalkis accesible all year round and it is also  a pleasant walk for families with children.

Location: Tatranská Lomnica, Junction between Grandhotel Praha and the building of old cable car to  Skalnaté pleso
Transition time: 0:30 hours
↔   1,7 km

↔   2,1 km

Educational Trail Hrebienok

The circuit, which is about 4 km long without large elevations, starts and ends at Hrebienok. The stroll will take you an hour to an hour and a half. Printed materials in wooden boxes are available for German- and English-speaking tourists. At the stops you will learn how glaciers completed the Tatra valleys, which is actually “Tatra granite”, you will see the complexity of the upper border of the forest. The current hiking in the Tatras has an interesting history, even overnight accommodation was not easy at first. After simple shepherd’s huts, chalet Rainerova útulňa appeared. Mountain streams are a rare environment for living in difficult mountain conditions. The movement of the valley glaciers and the erosive activity of the creek Studený potok created a famous system of waterfalls. In the end, you can look at the geomorphological and botanical peculiarity – the occurrence of dwarf pine at a very low altitude on a rare rock fracture. Stops 1 to 5 and 7 are also available for the disabled. The route is open all year round.

1. Educational Trail Hrebienok
2. How the Tatra valley took on their current shape
3. About Tatra granite
4. Current state of mountain forests
5. Hiking trails
6. Creek Studený Potok and its inhabitants
7. Chalet “Rainerova útulňa”
8. Waterfalls “Vodopády Studeného potoka”
9. Fracture and reversal of high vegetation stages

Location: Hrebienok
Transition time: 1:15 hours
↔   4 km

Educational Trail Skalnaté pleso

An entertaining and educational trail for children around the tarn Skalnaté pleso is part of the project Tatranská divočina (“Tatra Wilderness”). The Tatra animals will guide the children through five stops and teach them basic and unusual information about the High Tatras. On the boards, they will learn about Skalnaté pleso, about the Lomnický štít massif, about tourists and biota around Lomnický štít and about the science at Skalnaté pleso.

1. Skalnaté pleso
2. Lomnický štít massif
3. Tourists under Lomnický štít
4. Biota around Lomnický štít
5. Science at Skalnaté Pleso

Location: Skalnaté pleso
Transition time: 0:20 hours
↔   1,0 km

Educational Trail Štrbské Pleso

The educational trail is focused on the history of the settlement of Štrbské Pleso, flora, fauna and personalities that were active here, sport events, the spa history and a lot of other useful information. The route leads from the railway station in the direction of the ski resort under the bridges at the FIS hotel – around Štrbské pleso – a hotel complex on the southern bank of Štrbské pleso (Kúpeľná ul.) – around Nové Štrbské pleso – Jazierka lásky. The route has a total of 40 stops.

1. Attractions at Štrbské Pleso
2. Tarns in the cadastre of Štrba
3. Undemanding hikes
4. Štrbské Pleso in movies
5. Jazierka lásky (“Lakes of Love”)
6. Climate spa
7. Prónay vila and Gemerka
8. Olympians from Štrba
9. Interesting events
10. Precious visits
11. Tips for more demanding hikes
12. Useful information
13. World Championship 1970
14. Traditions of ski events
15. Cross-country skiing trails
16. Anděl’s ski slope
17. Ski jumping
18. Mlynická dolina
19. Boating
20. Interesting facts about the lake
21. Promenade around the tarn
22. Jozef Szentiványi – the founder of Štrbské Ples
23. Máša Haľamová
24. Hotel complex – Kriváň, Hviezdoslav, Jánošík
25. Hotel Solisko
26. Kovalík’s double cross
27. Transport at Štrbské Pleso
28. Móry’s hotel and lookout tower
29. Nové Štrbské pleso
30. Which animals live here
31. Wood grouse
32. Bear
33. Chamois
34. Marmot
35. Eagle
36. Swiss pine and dwarf pine
37. Tatra forest
38. Tarns and waterfalls
39. Tatra National Park flora
40. Rare plant species of the Tatra National Park

Location: Štrbské Pleso
Transition time: 2:45 hours
↔   6 km

From Štrbské Pleso to Popradské pleso

Through forest between Pleso (village) and pleso (tarn) – this could be the name of the almost 4km long trail which crosses through the mountain ridge Trigan. It’s possible to pass it in an hour and a half. Throughout the 14 stops, the tourist will learn that the region doesn’t consist only from trees but also flora and fauna that lives there. Equally interesting is the information concerning the origin of the Tatras, their geology and soil structure, the description of wood species and their target representation close to a natural forest. The trail starts in Štrbské Pleso. The information board with signposts is behind the crossroads with the well-known arch towards the sports complex Park Snow. The well-known red trail (  ) will take you to Popradské pleso. The trail is also open during the winter season (in case of snow, tourists are diverted to the winter route  ).

1. The forest speaks
2. The forest is not just trees
3. The forest originated over millennia
4. The forest has its own laws
5. No forest is the same
6. About forest animals
7. About forest trees
8. Swiss Pine (Pinus cembra)
9. About forest plants
10. The forest also ends somewhere
11. Forest and avalanches
12. Forest and water
13. Don’t hurt the forest
14. Welcome to the forest trail Popradské pleso – Štrbské Pleso!

Location: Štrbské pleso – Popradské pleso
Transition time: 1:30 hours
↔   4 km

 

Educational Trail Kvetnica

The trail represents various forest vegetation zones of Slovakia on a small area of Mestské lesy Poprad (Forests of Poprad), the historical archaeological locality of Zámčisko and the National nature reserve of Hranovnícka dubina.

1. Kvetnica – Zámčisko
2. Medieval castle – fort at Zámčisko
3. Nature and landscape protection
4. Beech forests
5. Oak forests
6. Spruce forests

Miesto: Forest park in  Kvetnica
Čas prechodu: 3:45 hours
↔   13,6 km

Educational Trail – Slovak Mining Trail

The Educational Trail Slovak Mining Trail (in Slovak Slovenská banská cesta) can be found in the Kvetnica district of Poprad. The trail offers us a pleasant walk in the woods and is focused on the history of mining and mining activities in this area. It is 3,200 meters long and is designed for all ages.

There are currently 5 information panels and 2 tunnels on the educational trail route. It is best to start the route at the flooded quarry in Kvetnica, where we can leave the car, or a short distance away at the Kvetnica bus stop. Information panels are not numbered, we can visit them in any order, both ways.

We find the first panel right at the flooded quarry, we’ll learn interesting information about the history of mining. Following the green sign of the educational trail and the yellow mining hammers, we continue to the Tunnel of St. Helena, where there is also a second panel on mining works.

We walk around a blind shaft, on the right side of the trail we can later see the beautiful lake Kvetnica, but we turn left, where the signpost takes us to the Silver Tunnel and to the information panel with some interesting information.

A little higher a panel on Mineralology of Kvetnica awaits us and at the end, or more precisely, at the beginning of the trail after a steep descent is the last panel on the Geology of Kvetnica.

As the chairman of the Mining Guild of Upper Spiš, Mr. Slavomír Kyseľa, told us, the goal is to gradually build a mining open-air museum in Poprad Kvetnica. “We started with educational boards and we will continue to build replicas of medieval mining equipment.” According to him, we can still look forward to the mining winch, and in the part of Tancuľka in Kvetnica, there will be a “Mining candelabra” installed in July which will be the largest one in the world of its kind with a mining theme. This candelabra will also be the gateway to the Educatonal Mining Trail.

We will regularly inform you about updates and progress on the trail.

The route can be combined with a visit to the Kvetnica Educational Trail.

1. 1. Slovak Mining Trail – introductory panel
   2. Mining works in Kvetnica
   3. Silver tunnel
   4. Mineralogy Kvetnica
   5. Geology Kvetnica

Location: Quarry in Kvetnica
Transition time: 1:30 hours
↔   3,2 km

Woodcarvings in Poprad Kvetnica

Discover woodcarvings of Tatra animals on a pleasant family walk in the suburban receational forest  Poprad –  Kvetnica near the High Tatras. You can get here by individual transport, public transport or by bike.

You can choose a short circuit around a popular quarry with beautiful views, where you can find e.g. woodcatvings of  snail, owl, fish or squirells.

If you choose a longer walk in the wider area, for example to the mouflon managerie, along the educational mining trail, along the Kvetnica educational trail, or to Krížová – the highest hill in this area , woodcarvings of the wild boar, mouflon, wolf, salamander, frogs or eagle will make your trip more pleasant.

Location: Poprad Kvetnica

Educational Trail to the Belianska Cave

This trail leading from Tatranská Kotlina to the Belianska cave has 6 stops dealing with geology and speleology.

1. Educational trail to the Belianska cave
2. Geology a geomorphology
3. Forest communities and soils
4. Flora
5. Fauna
6. Fauna of the cave

Location: Tatranská Kotlina – Belianska cave
Transition time: 0:45 hours
↔   1 km

Educational Trail Zadné Meďodoly

The educational trail Zadné Meďodoly leads along the hiking trail on the border of the High and Belianske Tatras – partially through the valley Javorová dolina and the whole valley of Zadné Meďodoly. On the blue-marked hiking trail there are ten information boards. The tourist can learn more about fauna and flora, the history of the valley, the rocks and water, what troubles the Tatra forest, the bear as the ruler of the forest with a demonstration in the form of two wooden statues, shepherd’s wars and copper mining. The eight and a half kilometer long educational trail starting in Tatranska Javorina at the bus stop Pošta and ending in Kopské sedlo with a total ascent of 768 meters can be without much haste walked in three hours. The texts are mostly bilingual – Slovak and English. The trail is open to the public only during the summer season from June 15^th to October 31^st.

Location: Tatranská Javorina – Kopské sedlo
Transition time: 3:00 hours
↔   8,5 km

Educational Trail Monkova dolina

Very nice, but demanding educational trail with a large elevation and partially steep ascent will take us through 6 stops – from Ždiar to the mouth of the valley Monkova dolina through the confluence of the river Biela and a creek Rígeľský potok, through Monkova dolina, Široké sedlo to Kopské sedlo. Along the way we have beautiful views of the Belianske Tatras, from Široké sedlo we can already see the High Tatras. In the summer we see colorful, blooming Tatra meadows, often also chamois. The beginning of the educational trail is at the junction Monkova dolina. We can reach the junction in 0,35 hours either from the bus stop Ždiar Tatra or from Ždiar Strednica. The trail is accessible from June 15^th – October 31^st until winter closure.

1. Junction at the confluence of a creek Rígeľský potok and river Biela
2. Brook Gorge under Stredný Rígeľ
3. Trail bend below the threshold of the valley
4. Rest stop at the creek
5. Široké sedlo
6. Kopské sedlo

Place: Junction Monkova dolina
Transition time: 3:05 hours
↔   5,5 km

Lakes of Love at Štrbské Pleso

Lakes of love has origin name Štrbské rybníky. Founder of Štrbské pleso – Jozef Szentiványi have used them for trout fishing. Lakes in these days are very popular for walks and for young couples. You can find places to sit, relax there and you will be still near center of the village.

The educational trail is focused on the history of the settlement of Štrbské Pleso, flora, fauna and personalities that were active here, sport events, the spa history and a lot of other useful information. The route leads from the railway station in the direction of the ski resort under the bridges at the FIS hotel – around Štrbské pleso – a hotel complex on the southern bank of Štrbské pleso (Kúpeľná ul.) – around Nové Štrbské pleso – Jazierka lásky. The route has a total of 40 stops.

1. Attractions at Štrbské Pleso
2. Tarns in the cadastre of Štrba
3. Undemanding hikes
4. Štrbské Pleso in movies
5. Jazierka lásky (“Lakes of Love”)
6. Climate spa
7. Prónay vila and Gemerka
8. Olympians from Štrba
9. Interesting events
10. Precious visits
11. Tips for more demanding hikes
12. Useful information
13. World Championship 1970
14. Traditions of ski events
15. Cross-country skiing trails
16. Anděl’s ski slope
17. Ski jumping
18. Mlynická dolina
19. Boating
20. Interesting facts about the lake
21. Promenade around the tarn
22. Jozef Szentiványi – the founder of Štrbské Ples
23. Máša Haľamová
24. Hotel complex – Kriváň, Hviezdoslav, Jánošík
25. Hotel Solisko
26. Kovalík’s double cross
27. Transport at Štrbské Pleso
28. Móry’s hotel and lookout tower
29. Nové Štrbské pleso
30. Which animals live here
31. Wood grouse
32. Bear
33. Chamois
34. Marmot
35. Eagle
36. Swiss pine and dwarf pine
37. Tatra forest
38. Tarns and waterfalls
39. Tatra National Park flora
40. Rare plant species of the Tatra National Park

Place: Štrbské Pleso
Transition time: 2:45 h
↔   6 km

Educational Trail Rakytovské plieska

Educational trail that allows visitors to get to know the effects of the calamity on the Tatra forest and the possibilities of its restoration. The 4,5 km long walk takes about two hours. The route leads through moderately demanding mountain terrain and has five stops. You’ll have an opportunity to see and learn how the Tatra nature and people are gradually coping with the consequences of the storm in November 2004.

We can get to the educational trail Rakytovské plieska from Štrbské Pleso by a green marked trail (  ) or from a junction Jambrichovo, which is significantly shorter.

The trail has 5 stops:

1. Rakytovec – view of the Low Tatras and its peak Kráľova hoľa

2. Rakytovské plieska

3. Development of forests after the calamity

4. Brook Furkotský potok

5. The source area of Biely Váh

Our recommendation: it is advantageous to come here outside the vegetation period. The trail will not be overgrown with grass and flowering, it will be easy to read. It’s also good to avoid rainy periods, as some places that we pass are around the source of river Biely Váh and thus may be excessively soaked.

Location: Štrbské Pleso
Transition time: 3:28 hours
↔   10,6 km

Location: Junction Jambrichovo
Transition time: 2:00 hours
↔   4,5 km

Educational Trail Fľak

Educational trail Fľak is located in Tatranská Kotlina and points to the history of local forests and forestry technical monuments. There are 10 stops with information panels in total and the route forms a closed circuit. The first part of the trail starts at the bus stop Čarda. If we arrive by car, there is also a paid parking lot. Right next to the parking booth there is an infopanel number 1. From the parking lot we head to the left, where we see a gazebo with a statue of St. Hubert. The path is weakly marked, we continue straight ahead. We still have 6 information panels left eg. about the history of urban forests, growth stages of vegetation or nature conservation. Along the way we can see the Tree of Life and have a rest at it. Here and there, we’ll have beautiful views of e.g. Kežmarský štít. When we come to the information panel no. 7., we have to cross the road and continue down the hill on the right side of the bus stop to gamekeeper’s house Fľak. We won’t find any orientation mark here, so it is good to read carefully the 1st information panel or our description. After a while we arrive at the crossroads, we set out to the left where we already see panel no. 8, where we can learn in a playful way to recognize trees by bark, or to calculate annual rings. We continue to the left to the panel no. 9 on fauna, flora and we can see the last 10th panel on the forest nursery, snow pit and fire water tank. The trail ends here. Now we can decide whether to return the same way as we arrived or follow one of the few arrows on the trail and make a loop walk along a pleasant road in the forest. When we arrive at the main road, we cross the road and follow the cycle path to the left back in the direction of Tatranská Kotlina. At the end of the cycling trail we will also find a board pointing us to the educational trail itself. The loop walk is for those who do not want to go back the same route. The trail itself is 2,8 km long and the loop 5,3 km long. We recommend that you go on a bike. The forest hiking trail is also suitable for families with strollers, while the second part of the trail is more attractive for children. A visit to the trail can be combined with a hike to the Plesnivec chalet, a visit to the Belianska cave or the wild boar reserve and then a visit to the Educational trail Belianske Meadows. We also have a bicycle rental at the beginning of the cycling trail in Spišská Belá, where we can also visit Pumptrack.

Location: Road “Cesta slobody”, direction from Tatranská Lomnica – Tatranská Kotlina
Transition time: 1:30 hours
↔   2,8 km

Source: www.tatry.sk