Jánošíkove diery

Jánošíks Caves - Jánošíks Holes


Useful Information

Location: Biely Potok or Štefanová, Terchová. (49.256095, 19.067569)
Open: no restrictions.
[2008]
Fee: free.
[2008]
Classification: GorgeGorge
Light: n/a
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Jánošíkove diery.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

Jánošíkove diery (Jánošíks Caves) is a narrow gorge located between Biely Potok and Štefanová. It is accessible from both hamlets. There are four main sections or gorges, named Dolné diery, Horné diery, Nové diery, and Tesná rizňa. To visit the complete gorge with 20 waterfalls and numerous elevated trails and ladders you have to walk four to five hours. On the weekend the gorge is quite popular, it is recommended to visit it on workdays.

When starting at the Biely Potok hamlet you walk through the Dolné diery (Lower Caves) upstream. It starts at an elevation of 640 m asl and ands at 750 m asl. It has an educational trail with numerous educative signs. This is the most visited part of the gorge. From the end you can return to your car, walk across the pastures to Štefanová hamlet or keep left to the Horné diery.

The Nové diery (New Caves) are a side branch of the Dolné diery, formed by the river Dierový. There are four waterfalls with a height of one to two meters, and all of them are named Novodier Waterfall, so they are simply numbered. There is no trail at the upper end, so you have to return to Dolné diery on the same trail.

Between Dolné diery and Horné diery is a plateau with pastures and huts, and there is a museum named Koliba Podžiar about the life on the pastures. The herders lived up here during summer caring for the animals. Such high pastures for cattle exist in most mountain regions.

The Horné diery (Upper Caves) are despite the name not another part of the same gorge, this is just another gorge nearby. It is located between the mountain ridges Tesná Rizňa and Malý Rozsutec. The gorge is much steeper and more dramatic, but the trail is very safe and well maintained. There are elevated trails made of metal and long ladders at the waterfalls. The trail is easy for an average tourist due to the trails, but after heavy rains and in spring it becomes slippery and difficult to walk. There is no other trail so you must walk back the same route.

The highest of the four gorges is called Tesná rizňa (Tight cutlet). It is often considered the upper part of the Horne diery and actually the best way to visit it, is together with Horné diery. Starting at the plateau at 750 m asl follow the trail through Horné diery for 1.3 km to the height of 950 m asl. Here the left trail follows the upper part of the Horné diery, the right trail follows Tesná rizňa. Both trails end at the summit of Medzirosutce mountain at 1200 m asl. From here you have to take an alternative route back as the walk through Horné diery and Tesná rizňa is allowed only upstream.