The best hiking routes in Ochranné pásmo národného parku Muránska planina

Ochranné pásmo národného parku Muránska planina serves as the protective buffer zone surrounding the core national park. Unlike the high karst plateaus and deep rocky gorges of the inner reserve, this outer zone consists of gentler, rolling foothills, managed meadows, and working forestry plots. The landscape here is defined by its transition from rural farmland to dense woodland, meaning walkers will encounter a mix of gravel forestry roads, grassy tractor paths, and occasional muddy logging tracks rather than steep, rocky scrambles.

As you walk through this buffer zone, you will notice how the vegetation changes from open pastures to thick beech and spruce forests. The underfoot conditions are generally softer than the rocky core of Muránska planina, with clay and soil paths that can become slick after rain. It is a working landscape where timber harvesting and sheep grazing are visible, offering a look at traditional Slovak land use rather than untouched wilderness.

This area is ideal if you prefer long, steady climbs on wide paths over technical terrain. While it lacks the dramatic limestone cliffs found deeper in the national park, it provides quieter walking routes that are often less frequented by tourists heading to the famous castle ruins or karst formations.