Mały Staw Spiski — or 'Little Spiš Tarn' — is the smallest of the Five Spiš Tarns in the Slovak High Tatras, yet it packs a serious punch when it comes to atmosphere. Sitting at 2000 m above sea level, right beside Téry Mountain Hut, it is often the first reward hikers see after the long climb up the Malá Studená Dolina valley. Small in size, big in character.

The tarn measures just 54 × 54 m and reaches a depth of about 3.5 m, but its position right at the threshold of the Valley of Five Spiš Tarns makes it feel perfectly framed by the surrounding rocky ridges and High Tatra peaks. In summer the still surface reflects the sky and surrounding crags; in autumn golden grasses and rust-coloured rocks add warmth to the scene; in winter and early spring a thick layer of ice and snow transforms it into a silent, monochrome landscape. It is a natural spot to pause, breathe, and take it all in.

• From Zamkovský Hut — green trail along the floor of Malá Studená Dolina valley to Téry Hut (the tarn is right next to the hut), approx. 1 h 45 min up / 1 h 20 min down, difficulty: moderate.
• From Téry Hut you can continue on the green trail to Ľadové sedlo (Ice Pass), approx. 1 h 30 min up, and then onward to Tatranská Javorina, approx. 4 h down — difficulty: demanding.

Fun fact: surveys carried out by TANAP staff in the 1960s confirmed the tarn's surface area at just 0.180 ha, making it definitively the tiniest of its five siblings. Its compact, intimate scale is exactly what makes it so charming.