The region of Upper Zemplín offers countless beauties of the winter landscape. Hikers and lovers of skiing or cross-country skiing will find it especially interesting. The hiking trails and lookout towers around the towns offer far-reaching views for all curious children's eyes.
When the first flakes of snow cover the mighty ridge of the Poloniny Mountains, the region of Upper Zemplín turns into a landscape where you will want to spend many an active day with your family.
Winter hiking ... for families with children
If you're wondering what to do with the kids in winter, a toboggan run or a trip to a snowy forest will certainly make the cold days more pleasant. The right choice will be, for example observation towers. In winter, the freezing air also gives you excellent visibility. You will find several observation towers in Upper Zemplín. Above Stropkov there are two - a three-storey observation tower on the hill Ščob, and right on the opposite hill you can go to the two-storey observation tower on Ščerbovka. Both hills, although small, can be used for a day's sledging in the event of heavy snow cover.
Winter hiking ... for more demanding hikers
Peak Ďurkovec from Runina
The Poloniny National Park is interwoven with hiking trails that have not yet been visited by crowds of tourists. The main Carpathian ridge, also known as part of the East Carpathian Highway, offers peaks with beautiful views of the surrounding area. Most of the thousands of peaks are deforested and, as the ridge runs along the border with Poland, it is possible to see all the way to Polish villages from them. One of the view peaks is the Ďurkovec with an altitude of 1 188 m above sea level. The easiest ascent from the Slovak side is from the village of Runina. You can park your car at the end of the village, where a green sign will take you through Sedlo pod Ďurkovcom to the ridge itself. On the ridge, the green sign joins the red one. The route from Runina is approximately 4 kilometres long and the elevation is around 620 metres.
Exploring Poloniny on cross-country skis
For cross-country skiers we recommend the terrains in the Slanské vrchy, Poloniny or in the hills of the Eastern Carpathians around Medzilaborce. Suitable snow conditions can usually be maintained here until the beginning of March. In the vicinity of Habura there is at least five routes: To Beskyd, Above Stavenec, Between Haburki, Kalinovská or Andy's trail.
The Slanské vrchy Mountains offer several cross-country skiing hiking trails. From the "Vranov" side, five routes with a total length of 22 kilometres are listed in tourist maps and guides. The routes are not maintained in winter, but they mostly lead along forest roads, so crossing them is not problematic. There are two interesting cross-country skiing trails in the Snina district and its surroundings - around the 22 km long Morský ok and another one leading from Zemplínské Hámry along the route of the Snina narrow-gauge railway to the locality of Pri Umretom. It is also possible to continue towards Kolonica. Cross-country skiers also like the surroundings of Runina. The route from Nová Sedlice to Medová Baba may be interesting, but more for backcountry cross-country skiers.
Winter Unique
Zámutov rocks
When a white blanket covers the countryside in winter, it is especially pleasing for the little ones. A toboggan run or a trip to the snowy forest will certainly make these cold days more pleasant. Nature can create magnificent phenomena with the falling degrees on the thermometer, which attract not only the eye, but also the touch. The Zámutov rocks in the Slanské hory Mountains, located about four kilometres from the village of Zámutov, can also show off this kind of beauty. They are formed by a massif of andesite formations on the north-eastern side of the Slanské Hills. They were declared a nature reserve in 1980 and cover an area of approximately 30.67 hectares. They are located in two localities - in the eastern part they are Čierne skaly (590 - 725 m above sea level), on the western side Čulkov (650 - 825 m above sea level). Both natural formations are separated by a valley, which leads to a forest road, hiking and cycling trail (023 - MTB Alžbeta).
Overview of ski resorts
You don't have to travel far for skiing. In Upper Zemplín there are three functional resorts of a smaller nature, which will richly cover the need for winter relaxation in the snow.
The first is ski slope in the village of Zámutov, which lies at the eastern foot of the Slanské hills, only 12 kilometres from the district town of Vranov nad Topľou. The ski lift is about five minutes walk from one of the local guesthouses (Zámutov 423). There are two lifts on the slope - 300 m and 500 m. The slope is gentle in the lower half and suitable for beginner skiers or children. The upper part of the slope is steep and suitable for experienced skiers. There is a ski and snowboard rental shop next to the lift, in addition to a snack bar where you can refresh and warm up. Accommodation is also available nearby. Updated information can be found at Facebook page.
A smaller ski resort is also located in village Parihuzovce in Snina district. There are two lifts - 800 m and 550 m. The resort operates on a volunteer basis, the operation is taken care of by members of the Spartak Vihorlat Snina Telovýchovná Jednota (TJ), therefore it is only open during weekends or free days in case of favourable conditions. The resort is visited not only by experienced skiers, who do not want to go to distant regions for snow, but also by families with children.
Also once popular ski resort Danová near Medzilaborce offers its services again after many years, in times of sufficient snow cover. You can ski here on a 500-metre-long and upgraded slope with improved parameters on natural snow only for the time being.
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