The High Tatras or High Tatra Mountains (; ; , Vysoki Tatry; ; ), are a mountain range along the border of northern Slovakia in the Prešov Region, and southern Poland in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. They are a range of the Tatra Mountains chain.
Description
The mountain range borders the
Belianske Tatras to the east, the Podtatranská kotlina to the south, and the
Western Tatras to the west. Most of the range, and all the highest peaks, are in Slovakia. The highest peak is Gerlachovský štít, at .
Biogeography
The High Tatras, having 29 peaks over
AMSL are, with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain ranges with an
alpine tundra character and
in the entire length of the Carpathian Mountains system.
The first European cross-border
national park, Tatra National Park, was founded here with Tatra National Park (
Tatranský národný park) in Slovakia in 1948, and Tatra National Park (
Tatrzański Park Narodowy) in Poland in 1954. The contiguous parks protect
UNESCO's trans-border Tatra biosphere reserve.
[ UNESCO preserves]
- Fauna
Many rare and
endemism animals and plant species are native to the High Tatras. They include the Tatras' endemic
Chamois and critically endangered species, the
Tatra chamois (
Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica). Predators include Eurasian brown bear,
Eurasian lynx,
marten,
wolf and
fox. The
Alpine marmot is common in the range.
- Flora
Flora of the High Tatras includes: the
endemic Tatra scurvy-grass (
Cochlearia tatrae), yellow mountain saxifrage (
Saxifraga aizoides),
Salix reticulata (
Salix reticulata),
Picea abies (
Picea abies),
Swiss pine (
Pinus cembra), and
Larix decidua (
Larix decidua).
Peaks
Highest peaks
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras—all located in Slovakia—are:
|
|
| Gerlachovský štít | around 2,655 | 8,711 |
| Gerlachovská veža | 2,642 | 8,668 |
| Lomnický štít | 2,634 | 8,638 |
| Ľadový štít | 2,627 | 8,619 |
| Pyšný štít | 2,623 | 8,605 |
| Zadný Gerlach | 2,616 | 8,583 |
| Lavínový štít | 2,606 | 8,550 |
| Malý Ľadový štít | 2,602 | 8,537 |
| Kotlový štít | 2,601 | 8,533 |
| Lavínová veža | 2,600 | 8,530 |
| Malý Pyšný štít | 2,591 | 8,501 |
| Veľká Litvorová veža | 2,581 | 8 468 |
| Strapatá veža | 2,565 | 8,415 |
| Kežmarský štít | 2,556 | 8,386 |
| Vysoká | 2,547 | 8,356 |
Other notable peaks
-
Kriváň, 2494 meters, also called Slovakia's "most beautiful mountain"
-
Rysy, the popular Polish−Slovak summit border crossing. Rysy has three peaks: the middle at 2,503 meters; the north-western at 2,499 meters; and the south-eastern at 2,473 meters. The north-western peak is the highest point of Poland.
-
Slavkovský štít, 2452 meters tall, within the Tatra National Park, Slovakia
Mountain lakes
Major lakes
-
Slovak lakes
-
Štrbské pleso - 1,347 m, 20 m deep.
-
Popradské pleso - 1,494 m, 17 m deep.
-
Veľké Hincovo pleso - 1,945 m, 54 m deep.
-
Polish lakes
-
Morskie Oko - 1,395 m, 51 m deep.
-
Czarny Staw pod Rysami - 1,583 m, 76 m deep.
-
Wielki Staw Polski - 1,664 m, 79 m deep.
Other lakes
-
Slovak lakes
-
Zmrzlé pleso
-
Ťažké pleso
-
Ľadové pleso
-
Batizovské pleso
-
Veľké Spišské pleso - 2,019 m, 10 m deep.
-
Veľké Žabie pleso (Mengusovské) - 1,921 m, 7 m deep.
-
Vyšné Bielovodské Žabie pleso - 1,699 m, 25 m deep.
-
Nižné Bielovodské Žabie pleso - 1,675 m, 21 m deep.
-
Polish lakes
-
Kurtkowiec Lake - 1,686 m, 5 m deep.
-
Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy - 1,624 m, 51 m deep.
-
Zielony Staw Gąsienicowy - 1,672 m, 15 m deep.
Transport
-
By TEŽ
-
Line : from: Štrbské Pleso - to: Poprad-Tatry
-
Line : from: Starý Smokovec - to: Tatranská Lomnica
-
By OŽ
-
Line : from: Štrbské Pleso - to: Štrba
-
By ŽSR
-
Line : from: Tatranská Lomnica - to: Studený Potok or from: Poprad-Tatry - to: Plaveč
-
By PKP
-
Line 99 from: Chabówka to Zakopane
Culture
The area is well known for
winter sports.
include Štrbské pleso, Starý Smokovec and Tatranská Lomnica in Slovakia, and
Zakopane in Poland. The town of
Poprad is the gateway to the Slovak Tatra resorts.
- People
The
Gorals ("highlanders"), a group of indigenous people with a distinctive traditional culture, are of the High Tatras and other mountain ranges and valleys in the Tatra Mountains region.
Ludwig Greiner identified Gerlachovský štít (Gerlachovský Peak) () as the highest summit of the Tatra Mountains, and the entire Carpathian Mountains system. It is also the highest point of Slovakia.
- Places and services
-
Vysoké Tatry (town)
-
Orla Perć — notable tourist mountain path/trail
-
Siklawa Falls — highest waterfall in Poland
-
Mickiewicz Falls
-
Black Lake Falls
-
Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (Poland)
-
Mountain Rescue Service (Slovakia)
See also
-
Tatra National Park, Poland
-
Tatra National Park, Slovakia
-
Tourism in Poland
-
Tourism in Slovakia
-
1989 Tatry - named after High Tatras
-
"The Tatras: High, Western, Bela's" (1:50,000 hiking map); BBKart/Marco Polo; 2005.
External links
Images
