Slovak Paradise National Park (Slovak: Národný park Slovenský raj) is one of nine national parks in Slovakia. It is located in East Slovakia and protects the Slovak Paradise mountain range, which is in the north of the Slovenské rudohorie Mountains (Slovak Ore Mountains).

The park covers an area of 197.63 km (76.3 mi). The buffer zone around the park covers 130.11 km (50.2 mi). Together, the park and buffer zone cover 327.74 km. Eleven national nature reserves and eight nature reserves are located within the park. The park has about 300 km of hiking trails, many of which include ladders, chains, and bridges.

The park contains around 350 caves. Only Dobšiná Ice Cave, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, is open to the public. The headquarters of the park are located in Spišská Nová Ves.

Park creation and history

The first protected reserve in the Slovak Paradise area was created in 1890. The first protected plant in the region was the edelweiss, which was protected in 1936.

The name "Slovak Paradise" was first used in 1921 in the magazine Krásy Slovenska and replaced earlier names used before that time. On August 21, 1964, the first protected landscape area in Slovakia was established in the Slovak Paradise. This area was later changed to a national park on January 18, 1988. In 2000, Dobšiná Ice Cave was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some parts of the park have been part of the Natura 2000 network since 2004.

Geography

The National Park is located in the Banská Bystrica Region (district of Brezno), Prešov Region (district of Poprad), and Košice Region (districts of Rožňava and Spišská Nová Ves).

The Slovak Paradise is part of the northern area of the Spiš-Gemer Karst (Spišsko-gemerský kras). It is surrounded by the Low Tatras (Nízke Tatry) to the west, the central part of the Slovenské rudohorie Mountains (Stolické vrchy and Volovské vrchy) to the south, and the Hornád basin (Hornádska kotlina) to the north and northeast.

Rivers and streams have created many gorges, canyons, valleys, caves, and waterfalls in the Slovak Paradise. The Hornád River is the most important in the area. The main part of the national park is a karst plateau divided into smaller plateaux by deep rocky gorges. The most famous gorges are Veľký Sokol, the longest at 4.5 km, Suchá Belá, Piecky, and Kyseľ, all of which have many waterfalls. Prielom Hornádu is the longest canyon, measuring 11.7 km, and contains the greatest variety of species. The highest waterfall is Závojový vodopád (Veil Waterfall), which is 70 meters tall. The largest water reservoir is Palcmanská Maša, completed in 1956, covering an area of 0.85 km². It is used for swimming, water sports, fishing, and other recreational activities.

The highest peak is Predná hoľa, at 1,545 meters above sea level. Havrania skala (Raven Rock), at 1,153 meters, offers a panoramic view. A rock shelf called Tomášovský výhľad is popular with climbers and visitors for its unique view, located at 680 meters. The lowest point is at the surface of the Hornád River, at 470 meters.

Geology

The geological structure of the Slovenský raj mountains is complex. Most of the area consists of two main parts: the smaller western Bebrava unit and the larger eastern Northern Gemer unit. These two units are separated by the Muráň fault. Both units are similar in composition, as they are mostly made of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks like dolomite and sandstone. Because these rocks are types of carbonate that easily form caves and sinkholes, the Slovenský raj mountains are shaped like a karstic plateau. The flat and short mountains of the Slovenský raj were raised during the Tertiary and Quaternary periods. This uplift caused rivers to cut through the land, forming narrow and deep valleys.

Biology and ecology

The Slovak Paradise has the highest number of butterflies in Slovakia, with 6.06 butterflies per km, from more than 2100 different species. These butterflies are part of the more than 4000 invertebrates found in the park, which also include 400 species of bugs and 150 species of mollusks. Kopanecké lúky (Kopanecké meadows) has a very high level of biodiversity in vascular plants, with over 75 species found in one m area.

Vertebrates include about 200 species, of which 130 are protected. One of the few European snake species found here is the European adder. Although it has a venomous bite that can be serious if not treated, this snake usually avoids humans and large animals, only attacking if provoked. Forty species of mammals live in the park, including the European brown bear, red fox, grey wolf, Eurasian lynx, European wildcat, red deer, roe deer, European fallow deer, Alpine chamois, European wild boar, marmot, and marten. The National Park is home to 65 endangered species, such as the saker falcon, European otter, and European ground squirrel.

Forests cover 90% of the park. The most common trees are beech, spruce, fir, and pine. The park has 930 species of plants, of which 35 are protected. It includes six endemic plants that are only found in the immediate area and 19 endemic plants native to the general West Carpathians.

Tourism

The most well-known tourist areas and resorts are located in the north, including Čingov and Podlesok, and in the south, Dedinky. Kláštorisko is the only tourist center inside the National Park and has ruins from a Carthusian monastery. The most visited spots in the park are Dobšiná Ice Cave and Suchá Belá Gorge.

The park has about 300 kilometers of hiking trails and several bike trails. A popular route is called "Prielom Hornádu." In the northern part of the Slovak Paradise, two main tourist centers are located: Čingov and Podlesok. These two areas are connected by a 15-kilometer marked trail that runs through the canyon along the Hornád river.