Holiday apartment in Žiar – Trails in the Žiarska dolina

Žiarska dolina is part of the High Tatras National Park. A blue-marked hiking trail leads through the valley, with a stated walking time of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. At the same time, the valley serves as a starting point for high-mountain tours and hikes in the Žiarska, Veľká and Bobrovecká valleys, as well as to the peaks of the Roháče, Baníkov and Baranec.

Nature and trails

A six-kilometre-long asphalt road also leads through Žiarska dolina and ends at Žiarska chata. Mountain biking is possible on forest roads in the valley. Žiarska chata is located at an elevation of 1,325 metres above sea level and is the only high-altitude mountain hut in the Western Tatras. It offers accommodation and catering services.

A prominent natural attraction is Šarafiový vodopád in Žiarska dolina, a glacial waterfall. It forms a cascade system approximately 20 metres high; its highest tier reaches approximately 3.5 metres. There is a paid car park at the beginning of Žiarska dolina. Another paid car park in Žiarska dolina is located approximately 500 metres from Medvedia štôlňa.

Tours and winter

The route from Žiarska dolina to Baranec is a difficult, 17.4-kilometre alpine loop hike with a stated duration of 7.5 hours. The route from Žiarska dolina to Baníkov is designated as a very difficult alpine hike. It is 19.1 kilometres long, includes 1,252 metres of ascent and has a stated duration of 6 hours and 45 minutes.

The Žiar-Dolinky ski centre is located at the end of the municipality of Žiar, at the foot of the southern slopes of the Western Tatras. Dolinky Ski Centre has two ski lifts and two runs, one of which is artificially snow-covered. There is also a floodlit run for evening skiing and a ski school.

Shorter and more easily accessible trails are also described. The Žiarska dolina educational trail comprises five stations and fifteen thematic areas. The route “Walkerským krokom k diviačej zvernici” begins on an easily accessible dirt road behind the houses of the municipality of Žiar and is suitable for beginners and families with children.

History and culture

Žiar was established on cleared land at the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century. Traditional activities of the inhabitants of Žiar included catching wolves with special nets. Salaš Žiar offers folk dishes inspired by the life of shepherds, as well as traditional sheep's milk products.

Another historical site is Medvedia štôlňa – Sv. Barborka. It is the only old mining structure in the Liptov region that has been made accessible. Visitors receive a headlamp before entering; special clothing or footwear is not required. The Symbolic Cemetery for the Victims of the Western Tatras was established by mountain rescue service employees in response to mountain accidents.

Visitor information

Medvedia štôlňa is approximately a 20-minute walk from the Žiar, Žiarska dolina bus stop. This bus stop can be reached by bus from Liptovský Mikuláš.

Other places in the same area

The same higher-level area also includes Jakubovany, Partizanska Lupca, Prosiek, Lubela, Kralova Lehota, Vyšná Boca, Liptovský Trnovec and Jamník.

To the higher-level travel overview: Liptovský Mikuláš District.