The best hiking routes in CHKO Horná Orava

CHKO Horná Orava is defined by its extensive peat bogs, damp spruce forests, and the massive water surface of the Orava Reservoir. Unlike the rocky peaks of neighboring mountain ranges, this protected area consists of wet, gently rolling highlands and flat basin floors. Walkers should expect damp conditions underfoot, with many trails crossing waterlogged meadows, marshy pine forests, and peat extraction sites where the soil is dark and spongy.

In the northernmost sections near the Polish border, the landscape rises into the forested sandstone ridges of the Oravské Beskydy. Here, the paths transition from soft, muddy peat tracks to firmer forest soils strewn with tree roots and sandstone fragments. The vegetation is dense, dominated by moss-covered spruce and beech trees, which block out much of the light and create a quiet, enclosed atmosphere.

In the lower basin, wooden boardwalks are installed over the most sensitive peat bogs to protect the fragile peat moss and carnivorous sundew plants. These boardwalks provide stable footing, but off-trail walking is impossible due to the deep, saturated ground. Autumn brings a distinct change to these open wetlands, as the grasses and dwarf birches turn deep shades of rust and yellow by October.