Jakub Surovec Educational Trail
Route description
The nature trail route starts and ends at the Zbojská chalet. It is a 4.7 km circuit with an elevation gain of 270 m. It leads through the wild nature around the Zbojská pass - the region where the legendary outlaw Jakub Surovec and his gang once robbed.
The most attractive tourist attraction is Čertova dolina, which in places resembles the famous gorges of the Slovak Paradise. The content of the educational trail is based on the rich bandit past of the Zbojská locality. It will also introduce you to local history, traditional methods of farming and land use, natural values, and local technical monuments.
Adrenaline experience in Devil's Valley
The 4.7 km long nature trail is of medium difficulty. The trail is accessible year-round, but only in one direction - against the flow of the Furmanec stream. It begins at Salaša Zbojská and partially continues along the red markings of the Rudná magistrála.
You continue past the observation tower to the edge of the forest, where the nature trail markings separate from the red mark and continue through the beech forest. You pass by the turnoff to the cave at Remet. Gradually descending, you approach the Devil's Valley. You pass under the dominant Devil's Bridge, which is part of the rack railway line leading from Tisovec to Brezno.
From the viaduct it is only a short distance to the mouth of the Devil's Ravine. After a short turn to the Devil's Cave, you will reach the mouth of the stream. The bandit group of Jakub Surovec once hid right in the Devil's Cave. It is 297 m long and 30 m high. The ascent through the gorge leads directly along the stream bed, where you will appreciate suitable waterproof footwear. You need to be extra careful when overcoming slippery ladders.
After overcoming the gorge, the route returns to Zbojnícky dvor through the meadows of Pacherka and the chalet in Galička.
Safety precautions
Attention! The trail is one-way → The Devil's Valley Gorge is climbed from the bottom up.
The trail route runs along the rocky bed of the Devil's Creek and above it. To make it easier to overcome the gorge, metal steps and ropes are installed in 4 sections above the bed of the Devil's Creek, directly in the rocks, to which you can safely hold on. From a safety point of view, especially for children, inexperienced and less able tourists, it is advisable to use safety sets for belaying, as there is a risk of falling.
Throughout the year - during periods of heavy rain, in the spring months during snowmelt, and in the winter during severe frosts - crossing the Čertová dolina gorge can be dangerous due to high water flow or ice formation.
It is important to remember that you always complete the route at your own risk. Therefore, do not overestimate your strength and abilities and always take into account the current weather conditions. Be careful when moving along a secured trail.
Tips and advice
You can also complete the trail with a guide, who will add interesting commentary to the route. The guide service is provided by the Zbojská hut. More information and a price list can be found on the Zbojská hut website.
