Activities

Educational Trail “Známa Neznáma” (Known-Unknown)

The educational trail is situated in the Čutkovská Valley near Ružomberok. It starts at the resting zone in the Čutkovská Valley, which is situated approximately 4 km away from the centre of Ružomberok.

The valley itself is well-known by the visitors of Ružomberok for the attractions located here, however, the natural riches of the valley were hidden from the eyes of the visitors for a long time. By creation of the educational trail, some of these riches have been made accessible to anyone who wants to discover them.

The trail starts at the parking lot at the mouth of the valley. It runs along the asphalt road by the restaurant facilities, the small menagerie, the fish pond and the pen with sheep and boars. After the menagerie, it passes by a dam where the visitors may try recreational fishing in the form of catch and release. (Permits can be purchased at shepherd’s hut “U Dobrého Pastiera”.) The educational panel by the dam will tell you something about the waters in the valley. The trail continues by the camp site, where you can stop and rest a little, or roast something from your supplies in the fireplaces located in this area. The trail leads us further through the valley, past the wetlands, where the panel provides information about the flora found in the wetlands of the Čutkovská Valley. The valley gets gradually narrower and continues to lead us through other nooks and corners, about which we learn more information from the educational panels. The first turn on the path of the educational trail leads to the small valley on the left. This detour will lead us through a steep rise in the wooded terrain, and after about half an hour, we will come to waterfall “Jelení Vodopád”. Here, we can read interesting facts on the panel and rest on the bench that is placed here. Returning back to the main path will not take us as long as the climb to the waterfall. We continue through the valley and, after a few minutes, we make another turn. This time we turn to the right, to a small valley, which will lead us through a milder rise in the wooded terrain to another waterfall after about 20 minutes. The valley has two waterfalls, but only the bigger one, “Dolný Jamišný Vodopád” (sometimes called “Nižný pálenický Vodopád”), is accessible. From the waterfall, the trail returns back to valley, which leads us deeper into the heart of the Great Fatra National Park. At the place by the hay barn and the informational panel about the meadows, where the yellow-marked bike trail and the blue-marked hiking trail are turning away from the valley, our educational trail continues along a path by the creek, all the way to its end by the mountain pass called “Tiesňava Za Dierou”. At the end of the educational trail we can rest and admire the natural creation. (Entry into the mountain pass is prohibited.) We follow the same route on the way back to the very beginning of the educational trail.

After finishing the path of the educational trail, you can use the restaurant services or other services in the Čutkovská Valley.

– During winter months, the educational trail is closed in the section to the waterfalls and the mountain pass.
– The educational trail including the detours is approximately 12 km long (there and back), and it takes approximately 4 hours.
– Along the entire path, the trail is marked with standard marking of an educational trail (a white square with a diagonal green line inside).
– As it mostly leads along an asphalt road, the trail is suitable for all age categories of visitors. (Including families with children and pensioners.)
– The hike can be done with a stroller as well, but the detours to the waterfalls and the final section to the mountain pass “Tiesňava Za Dierou” cannot be passed with a stroller. (We do not recommend carrying the child in your arms either, as the terrain is a bit difficult. A better way is to use a reinforced carrier for small children.)
– Along the trail, there are several springs with potable water and places with a bench, where you can rest.
– Entry of motor vehicles in the territory of the valley is prohibited, however, once in a while there is a vehicle passing with foresters or with the guests of cabin “Chata pod Kozím”, which is situated at the end of the valley.
– The trail enters in the territory of the Great Fatra National Park, therefore you must observe its rules for the visitors.

Transport:
By car: There is a parking lot at the mouth of the valley, where you can comfortably park your car.
On foot: It is approximately a 1-hour walk from the centre of the town through the housing area of Klačno.
By train: From train stop “Ružomberok Rybárpole” you can get there on foot in approximately 35 minutes. From the main train station, it will take approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes on foot.
By bus: From the town centre or the train station, you can comfortably ride a bus of the local public transport system to the bus stop called “Klačno otočka”, from which it takes about 10 minutes on foot to get to the mouth of the valley.
By taxi: Taxi from the centre of the town will cost you about 5€.