A night in an útulňa

Mountain shelters are free, simple and first come, first served. How they work, and how to leave one.

On the high ridges of the trail you will sleep in útulne: small mountain shelters, often a single room with a stove and wooden bunks. Nobody runs them and nobody takes bookings; they belong to whoever arrives first.

What to bring

A sleeping bag and a mat, a headlamp, your own food and a way to treat water. Some shelters have a spring nearby, others don’t: each stage page says what we know.

Shelter manners

Make room for latecomers, keep the stove going only if there is wood you didn’t cut from living trees, and carry your rubbish down. Leave a little dry wood for the next person.

When it’s full

In August the shelters on the Low Tatras crest can be full by evening. Plan a backup: a hut lower down, or a tent where camping is allowed.