Veľká Fatra National Park (Slovak: Národný park Veľká Fatra) is a national park in Slovakia. Most of the park is located in the southern part of the Žilina Region, and a small part is in the northern part of the Banská Bystrica Region. The park and its protective zone cover most of the Greater Fatra Range (Slovak: Veľká Fatra), which is part of the Outer Western Carpathians.

The national park was established on April 1, 2002, as an upgrade of the Protected Landscape Area (Slovak: Chránená krajinná oblasť (CHKO) Veľká Fatra) created in 1972. This area was set up to protect a mountain range with many well-preserved Carpathian forests, mostly European beech trees, which cover 90% of the land. The area also includes ridge-top cattle pastures from the 15th to 17th centuries, a time known as Walachian colonisation. Some parts of the park have old Scots pine forests, and the Harmanec valley is famous for having the largest number of Irish yew trees in Central and possibly all of Europe. The park is also an important source of fresh water because of high rainfall and low evaporation.

The mountain range is made mostly of granite, but this rock is only visible in some places. More common are slates, which form gently shaped ridges and peaks in the Hôlna Fatra area. Limestone and dolomite create rough and scenic landscapes in the Bralná Fatra area. The park has many caves, including Harmanec Cave, which is open to the public.

The variety of rocks and soils, along with different types of terrain such as gentle meadows, steep cliffs, and deep valleys, supports a rich variety of plant and animal life. All major large carnivores of Central Europe live in the area, including brown bears, gray wolves, and Eurasian lynxes.

The park is a popular destination for hikers and trekkers because there are few resorts nearby, which are located outside the park. The nearby UNESCO World Heritage village of Vlkolínec, known for its well-preserved wooden houses, is also a notable attraction.

Small protected areas

In February 2007, the following small protected areas were located within NP Veľká Fatra and its buffer zone:

Resources

• Brandos, Otakar (2004). Veľká Fatra, Šípska Fatra. Published by SKY in Ostrava. ISBN 80-86774-02-3.

• VKÚ Harmanec (2003). Veľká Fatra. Tourist Map Edition 1:50000. Published by VKÚ in Harmanec. ISBN 80-8042-044-0.

• "Veľká Fatra." Retrieved on March 6, 2007.

• "Štátny zoznam osobitne chranených častí prírody SR." Archived from the original on May 18, 2007. Retrieved on March 8, 2007.