Kriváň

2,494 m

Slovakia

Also known as Kriwan, Κριβάν, +4

Kriwan · Κριβάν · Kriván · Monte Kriváň · Krywań · Кривань

Elevation: 2,494 m
Prominence: 400 m
Difficulty: 3/10; Mountain hike
Best Season: Jul–Sep
Routes: 2

Routes

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The usual ascent of Slovakia's national mountain: an easy forest walk on the red Tatranská magistrála from Štrbské Pleso to Jamské pleso (1,447 m), then the blue trail up the long scree gully of the Krivánsky žľab, past Daxnerovo sedlo and Malý Kriváň to the rocky summit. About 1,150–1,290 m of ascent, 4 hours up and 18 km round trip. No huts or water on the way.

Elevation Profile

Distance: 10.1 km; one way
Ascent: +1,289 m; −117 m lost on the way up
High Point: 2,494 m
Time Up: 5h 48m; DIN 33466
Time Down: 4h 14m; DIN 33466 · same way back

From Štrbské Pleso (about 1,350 m) follow the red-marked Tatranská magistrála west through forest past the Solisko sanatorium and the junction below the Furkotská dolina to Jamské pleso (1,447 m), about 1¼ hours. Turn right onto the blue trail (no. 2903), which climbs through dwarf pine onto the stony slopes of Predná Handel and into the Krivánsky žľab, a broad gully of blocks and scree. At about 2,130 m the green trail from Tri studničky joins. Above the junction the path leaves the gully by steep climbing over loose rock to Daxnerovo sedlo, with the first view down to the Krivánske Zelené pleso, then follows a rocky ridge past Malý Kriváň (2,334 m) and climbs the steep south-west face of the summit pyramid to the top, about an hour from the junction. There are no chains; the upper part is steep, rocky and exposed in places but technically easy. A plaque below the summit commemorates the 1841 national ascent. Descend the same way in about 3 hours, or down the green trail to Tri studničky. It is a long day with no hut, food or water on the route; start early to avoid afternoon storms. The upper trails are closed by the national park every year from 1 November.

Start

Štrbské Pleso1,322 m

Tatra Electric Railway or rack railway from Štrba to Štrbské Pleso.
Parking at the trailhead

Stages

Day	Stage	km	m ascent	m descent	Time
1	Štrbské Pleso → Kriváň	10.1	1,289	117	5h 48m

Waypoints

Station:
Štrbské Pleso1,322 m
Feature:
Rázcestie pod Furkotou1,452 m
Feature:
Jamské pleso1,461 m
Junction: leave the red magistrála for the blue trail to Kriváň
Feature:
Krivánsky žľab2,019 m
Col:
Daxnerovo sedlo2,311 m
Summit:
Kriváň2,494 m

Key Passages

Scree and block gully of the Krivánsky žľab
Steep loose climb out of the gully to Daxnerovo sedlo
South-west face of the summit pyramid

Equipment

0/5 packed

Technical

Microspikessnow patches in June; ice from late SeptemberRecommended

Footwear

Hiking boots with good griploose scree and rocky summit pyramidRequired

Clothing

Waterproof and warm layersafternoon thunderstormsRequired

Other

2 litres of water and foodno hut or water on the routeRequired
Trekking poleslong scree descentRecommended

Downloads

Route confidence 80%

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Overview

The hooked summit at the western end of the High Tatras (2,494 m), Slovakia's national mountain and the image on its 1, 2 and 5 cent euro coins. A long, unprotected but steep marked trail climbs it from Štrbské Pleso or Tri studničky in about 4 hours.

Kriváň stands at the western edge of the High Tatras, above the Liptov basin, and its crooked, leaning summit (the name comes from the root kriv-, 'bent') is visible from much of northern Slovakia. It became a symbol of the Slovak national movement in the 19th century, appeared on the Czechoslovak state emblem from 1960 to 1990 and was chosen by public vote for Slovakia's euro coins. Every August the Národný výstup na Kriváň, a national ascent organised by the Slovak Tourist Club and Matica slovenská, continues the tradition.

The mountain lies entirely in Slovakia, in the Tatra National Park (TANAP). Two marked trails, blue from Štrbské Pleso via Jamské pleso and green from Tri studničky, meet in the Krivánsky žľab gully about 360 m below the top. Above, the path climbs loose rock to Daxnerovo sedlo and the steep summit pyramid. There are no chains or ladders, but it is a long, strenuous day with no hut or water.

From the summit you look along the whole High Tatras ridge, over the Krivánske Zelené pleso and the Važecká dolina, and across to the Western and Low Tatras. Old mine workings from the 15th–18th centuries survive on the southern and south-western slopes.

Climbing Notes

You need stamina for a 7–8 hour day with 1,150–1,350 m of ascent and the same descent, and sure-footedness on loose scree and steep rock; there is no protection, but no climbing either. No technical equipment is needed in summer.

Most people start from Štrbské Pleso (reachable by train) or drive to Tri studničky and make a loop via Jamské pleso. Start early: thunderstorms are frequent on summer afternoons, and there is no shelter on the upper mountain. The trails above the Jamské pleso and Tri studničky junctions are closed every year from 1 November until the end of May (some sources give mid-June); snow patches linger in the gully into June and ice can form from late September. Walking off marked trails and bivouacking are prohibited in TANAP. The national ascent on the third weekend of August is limited to 300 participants per day.

History

Miners working gold and antimony deposits on its slopes probably reached the summit first. The first recorded ascent is usually credited to the Lutheran pastor Andreas Jonas Czirbes of Spišská Nová Ves, on 4 August 1773 according to Wikipedia (some Slovak sources give 1772). Robert Townson (1793), Belsazar Hacquet (1794), Stanisław Staszic (1805) and Göran Wahlenberg (1813) followed. On 16 August 1841 Ľudovít Štúr and Michal Miloslav Hodža led the first patriotic excursion to the summit, the origin of the national ascents; Štefan Marko Daxner led the largest in 1861. The first winter ascent was made in 1884 by Theodor Wundt and J. Horvay. The Važecká chata below the mountain was burned by Nazi troops in 1944.

Season

Best Jul–Sep

January: Not advisable
February: Not advisable
March: Not advisable
April: Not advisable
May: Not advisable
June: Possible
July: Best (best window)
August: Best (best window)
September: Best (best window)
October: Possible
November: Not advisable
December: Not advisable

Jan: Trails closed (TANAP seasonal closure)
Feb: Trails closed
Mar: Trails closed
Apr: Trails closed
May: Trails closed until 31 May
Jun: Trails reopen; snow patches in the Krivánsky žľab
Jul: Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
Aug: Main season; national ascent on the third weekend
Sep: Often stable and quieter
Oct: Snow and ice possible; trails close on 1 November
Nov: Trails closed
Dec: Trails closed

Access & Permits

Fees

Paid parking at Tri studničky and Štrbské Pleso

Rules

TANAP seasonal closure: the blue trail above Jamské pleso and the green trail above Tri studničky to the summit are closed from 1 November to 31 May (2025–26 dates)
Tatra National Park: marked trails only; bivouacking and camping prohibited

Getting There

Štrbské Pleso (Vysoké Tatry); Liptovský Hrádok and Liptovský Mikuláš

Poprad-Tatry (TAT)

Train: Tatra Electric Railway from Poprad, or the rack railway from Štrba, to Štrbské Pleso
Car: Cesta Slobody (road 537) to Štrbské Pleso or to the Tri studničky car park between Štrbské Pleso and Podbanské
Bus to Tri studničky runs only in summer and mostly at weekends

Hazards

Weather
Rockfall
Exposure