Čertovica, Mountain pass in Low Tatras, Slovakia

Čertovica is a mountain pass in the Low Tatras at 1,232 metres above sea level. It separates the Ďumbierske Tatry range to the west from the Kráľovohoľské Tatry to the east, and connects the Bocianska dolina valley and Liptov with the Štiavnička valley and Horehronie. Road I/72 between Kráľova Lehota and Podbrezová crosses the pass, which also marks the border between the Liptovský Mikuláš and Brezno districts.

The pass lies on the road I/72 between Kráľova Lehota and Podbrezová, the highest road pass in Slovakia. In 2005 it was crossed daily by more than 2,000 vehicles. The red-marked trail of the Cesta hrdinov SNP also runs over the saddle.

The name Čertovica derives from the Slovak word for devil, čert, and the pass separates the Ďumbierske Tatry to the west from the Kráľovohoľské Tatry to the east. A red-marked hiking trail crosses the saddle as part of the SNP Heroes Route, the long-distance path across Slovakia. Two small ski areas operate on the pass, and a local civic association grooms cross-country ski trails that average above 1,000 m and reach 1,440 m.

The pass features ski lifts, accommodations, and restaurants, with the road maintained year-round for daily traffic. Visitors can access the area in any season, though winter conditions require proper vehicle preparation.

The pass sits exactly on the Čertovická línia, the only place where this geological boundary between the Tatricum and Veporicum units of the Western Carpathians reaches the surface. The red-marked trail through the saddle is part of the Cesta hrdinov SNP, the long-distance route across Slovakia.