Zelené pleso (Green Lake) is one of the most beautiful places in the Slovak High Tatras, a shimmering emerald tarn at 1,545 metres nestling beneath the dramatic northeast face of Malý Kežmarský štít and surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Central Europe. The lake is the focal point of the Dolina Zeleného plesa (Green Lake Valley) and home to the Chata pri Zelenom plese, the highest-altitude mountain hut in the High Tatras and one of the most atmospheric places to spend a night in the Slovak mountains.
In This Article
Quick Facts: Zelené pleso, Slovakia
- Best time to visit: June-September for hiking; the lake and surrounding peaks look their best in late summer and early autumn
- Altitude: 1,545 metres, the lake itself; surrounding peaks rise to over 2,500m
- How to get there: ~4 hours from Bratislava by car to Tatranská Lomnica; from there, a 2.5-hour hike on a well-marked trail (blue markers) through the valley
- The hut: Chata pri Zelenom plese (Brnčalova chata) at 1,551m offers accommodation, hot meals, and one of the most spectacular mountain hut settings in Europe
The Hike to the Green Lake
Zelené pleso is a lake in the High Tatras mountains located in the glacier basin at Kačacia dolina valley in Slovakia. It is situated at an altitude of 1575 m. Zelené pleso lake covers an area of 2.58 ha. It is 200 m long and 170 m wide. Its maximum depth is 4.1 m. Zelené pleso lake has three affluents and is accessible by foot or by bike (during the winter you can get there also by cross-country skis).
The hike from Tatranská Lomnica to Zelené pleso is one of the most rewarding in the High Tatras, manageable for reasonably fit hikers and offering constantly changing views throughout the ascent. The trail (marked in blue) begins behind the Grand Hotel Praha and follows a forest road before entering the beautiful Dolina Zeleného plesa valley. As you gain altitude, the vegetation transitions from dense spruce forest to dwarf pine and finally to alpine meadows, with wildflowers carpeting the slopes in June and July. The sound of the Kežmarská Biela voda stream accompanies you for much of the ascent, with several small waterfalls providing photo opportunities along the way.
Chata pri Zelenom plese and Trail Connections
There is also one of the most romantic accommodations in Slovakia – Chata pri Zelenom plese (cottage at Zelene pleso), where you can stay in a newly reconstructed room at the price of €11-€13/night.
Chata pri Zelenom plese, also known as Brnčalova chata, has been welcoming hikers since 1897. The current stone building, constructed in the 1930s, stands as one of the most iconic mountain huts in the Tatras. The interior is warm and welcoming, with a wood-panelled dining room serving hearty Slovak mountain fare such as bryndzové halušky (potato dumplings with sheep cheese), garlic soup, and steaming mugs of hot tea or mulled wine. Sleeping quarters are basic but comfortable, with shared dormitories and a few private rooms. The real attraction, however, is the view: guests can watch the sunset paint the granite peaks in shades of pink and gold, then wake to see the morning sun illuminate the emerald surface of the lake below.
There are several places from you can get to Zelené pleso:
- Tatranské Matliare (yellow-blue, 2h55″/3h30″)
- Skalnaté pleso lake (red, 2h15″/2h00″)
- Kopské saddle (blue-red, 1h00″/1h00″)
- Plesnivec cottage (red-green, 1h45″/2h00″)
- Tatranská Kotlina (red-green, 3h05″/3h30″)
- Jahňací peak (yellow, 1h40″/2h00″)
- Veľká Svišťovka (red, 1h00″/0h45″)
For experienced hikers, Zelené pleso serves as a base for more ambitious ascents. The marked trails from the lake lead to Kopské sedlo (Kopske Saddle) at 1,750 metres, a gateway to the Belianske Tatras range, and to Veľká Svišťovka at 2,038 metres, which offers panoramic views across the entire High Tatras. Many hikers combine a visit to Zelené pleso with a night at the hut and a summit attempt on one of the surrounding peaks the following day.
View Zelené pleso in High Tatras – one of the most beautiful places in Slovakia in a larger map
Have you hiked to Zelené pleso or stayed at the mountain hut beneath the Tatras? Share your Slovak mountain memories in the comments! 🏔️
Explore all our Slovakia travel guides, from the High Tatras to Bratislava charm.
Explore More
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like:
