Čierťaž (1,204 m a.s.l.) is a peaceful, forest-cloaked summit in the Veporské vrchy mountains of central Slovakia — a rewarding destination for hikers who love quiet trails, dense woodland and authentic mountain scenery well off the beaten track. It sits roughly 12 km west of Brezno, above the village of Predajná.

The peak lies along a ridge running northward from Vepor (1,277 m) through Kolba (1,162 m), in the north-western part of the Veporské vrchy range. The summit itself is covered by continuous forest, so wide-open panoramas from the very top are not on offer — but from spots with thinner vegetation along the trail you can take in views of the surrounding Veporské vrchy peaks, Poľana, the Štiavnica Hills, the Kremnica Hills, Veľká Fatra and the Low Tatras. The terrain is moderately demanding, and the atmosphere, especially in autumn when the forest turns golden, is genuinely special.

• From the north, starting in Predajná — blue trail, moderate difficulty
• From the south, from Sedlo pod Hrbom via Sedlo pod Kolbou — blue trail, moderate difficulty
• From Lopej via Sedlo pod Kolbou — green trail, moderate difficulty

The whole area drains into the Hron river basin — the south-eastern slopes feed the Čelno stream, the south-western slopes feed the Brusnianka, and the northern slopes feed the Oselné stream, giving the landscape a lush, well-watered feel typical of this part of Slovakia.