Hliński Wierch (1,863 m a.s.l.) is one of those quietly rewarding summits in the Slovak Western Tatras that most visitors walk past without a second glance — yet it plays a key role in the local ridge system, marking the point where the long Hlina ridge finally branches out in multiple directions. If you enjoy open, grassy summits away from the crowds, this one is well worth the detour.
The upper parts of the peak are covered in alpine grassland, giving a pleasant sense of openness and wide skies. The western slopes drop steeply into the Kamenistá Valley, while the eastern flanks descend — via the deep Suchý Žleb gully — toward the Tichá Valley. The treeline here sits lower than it naturally should, a legacy of centuries of shepherding that reshaped the landscape; today, dwarf pine is slowly reclaiming what was once open pasture.
How to reach the summitThe Slovak name 'Holý vrch' means 'Bare Peak' — a reminder that for centuries this summit was even more open and treeless, shaped by generations of mountain shepherds whose flocks kept every shrub at bay.