Treska, River in North Macedonia

Treska is a river in the western part of North Macedonia that flows for 132 km before joining the Vardar as its right tributary. It starts high in the Stogovo mountain, runs through the Kičevo valley, turns north near Makedonski Brod, and passes through a narrow gorge between the Suva Gora and Karadžica mountains before reaching the Vardar near Skopje.

The river has cut a deep valley over time, and its course was shaped by natural changes that redirected its flow. In the 20th century, dams were built at Matka in 1937, at Kozjak in 2004, and at Sveta Petka in 2012, turning parts of the river into reservoirs.

Along the Treska, people often refer to the river by different names depending on the area, such as Golema Reka in the Kičevo region and Velika Reka in Poreče. Near the Matka dam, two old monasteries, St. Andrew and St. Nicholas Šiševski, stand as landmarks that locals and visitors pass by when walking in the gorge.

The river is easy to reach from Skopje by road, and the section near the Matka dam is a common starting point for walks along the water. The water level changes with the seasons, so it is wise to check local conditions before planning activities near the banks.

The Treska receives water from a tributary called Krapa that disappears underground and reappears in a spring on the opposite side of the valley. This underground flow was confirmed in 1958 when a dye test showed the connection between the sinkhole and the spring.