Strážovské vrchy are among the places with the most beautiful natural environment in the Trenčín region. Several hiking trails lead to their highest peak. The reward for a slightly more challenging hike are not only panoramas of the surrounding area, but also several impressive nooks and crannies that you will discover on the road itself - caves, bizarre rocks and picturesque basins and valleys.

The highest peak in the mountains is Strážov. It rises to a height of 1,213 meters above sea level, on the border of the districts of Ilava and Žilina. You can get to it from the village of Čičmany and from Zliechov along the red marked tourist route - the SNP Heroes' Trail. A slightly easier path leads from Pružina. Defenders advise tourists to follow the marked hiking trails. "The entire Strážov National Nature Reserve is our rarest and most valuable area. All large carnivores are buried there, including the brown bear. It is the only wilderness that we have left that we do not want to lose, “points out the director of the Strážovské vrchy Protected Landscape Area Administration Karol Pepich.

There are also several waterfalls in Strážovské vrchy. The highest lies in Súľovské skaly, two others - the six-meter Dolný and the nine-meter Horný - on the Strážovské brook. These natural phenomena are only a short distance apart. "However, access to them is not possible, as they are located in the territory with the highest degree of protection. The refuge here has a large number of protected animals, so it is important that they have peace and quiet, "explains Pepich.

The whole area was declared a national nature reserve in 1981. Its area is approximately 480 hectares. It consists of four ridges with peaks above 1,000 meters above sea level, which surround the highest peak of Strážov.

photo: Vladimír Ruček