Veľká Fatra National Park, National park in Žilina region, Slovakia.
Veľká Fatra National Park is a forest landscape in the Žilina region featuring mountains, river valleys, and limestone cliffs scattered throughout. The park consists of continuous forest cover interrupted by open meadows at higher elevations and smaller communities nestled in valleys.
The territory was designated a Protected Landscape Area in 1973 and later became a National Park in 2002. This formal protection aimed to safeguard the natural forest and preserve biodiversity for future generations.
The open mountain meadows within the park show traces of traditional pastoralism and shepherding routes that shaped the landscape over centuries. Walking through these clearings, you can sense how communities once used these high grasslands for their livelihoods.
You can start your visit from nearby towns like Martin, Ružomberok, or Turčianske Teplice, all connected to the park by marked hiking trails. The park offers routes of varying difficulty, so it is best to wear proper hiking shoes and bring weather protection, especially at higher elevations.
The Harmanec Valley within the park holds the largest concentration of Irish yew trees in Central Europe, a botanical rarity found nowhere else in the region. This secluded valley creates ideal conditions for these ancient trees to grow.
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