Mały Pusty Stawek is one of those rare mountain tarns that rewards only those willing to venture off the marked trails. Tucked away at around 2,067 metres above sea level in the upper reaches of the Slovak Staroleśna Valley, this crescent-shaped lake is a quiet, almost forgotten gem of the High Tatras.

Measuring just 69 by 31 metres and barely 4.3 metres deep, the tarn punches well above its size when it comes to atmosphere. It sits in a rocky basin called Pusta Kotlina, surrounded by scree fields and boulder debris tumbling down from Świstowy Szczyt peak and Świstowa Przełęcz pass. Slightly to the northeast above the larger Pusty Staw Staroleśny, it forms part of a trio of small lakes in this rugged cirque — the other being the tiny Puste Oko. In late summer and autumn, when frost dusts the rocks and the still water mirrors a steel-grey sky, the solitude here is genuinely moving.

• There are no marked tourist trails leading to Mały Pusty Stawek. The usual starting point is the Staroleśna Valley on the Slovak side of the Tatras — beyond that, reaching the tarn requires off-trail navigation, experience, and good map-reading skills.

• The tarn lies within TANAP (Tatra National Park, Slovak side) — strict nature protection rules apply at all times.
• The absence of marked trails means this is suitable only for experienced and well-equipped hikers.
• Access outside summer months may be seriously hampered by snow and icy scree slopes.

Mały Pusty Stawek is one of 27 lakes collectively known as the Staroleśne Stawy, scattered throughout the Staroleśna Valley — a little-known corner of the Tatras still waiting to be discovered by those who seek more than the beaten path.