Tucked away at 1,986 metres above sea level in the Staroleśna Valley of the Slovak High Tatras, Wyżni Harnaski Staw is a beautifully serene alpine lake that rewards every hiker who makes the effort to reach it. As the largest of the five Harnaski Lakes — and part of the wider group of 27 Staroleśna Lakes — it offers a rare combination of raw mountain scenery and peaceful solitude.

The lake measures 130 by 70 metres with a maximum depth of around 4.2 metres, sitting in a small rocky basin with no natural outflow. In summer its still surface mirrors the surrounding peaks with striking clarity; in autumn the slopes above turn golden and russet. Winter and early spring bring a covering of ice that gives the place an almost otherworldly feel. The proximity of Zbojnícka Chata (Zbójnickie Hut) makes the lake a natural resting point on a longer mountain traverse.

• From Téryho Chata hut via Červená Lavka pass to Zbojnícka Chata — yellow one-way trail; approx. 1 h 30 min from Téryho Chata to the pass, then approx. 1 h 45 min to Zbojnícka Chata; difficulty: demanding.

• The lake lies within TANAP (Tatra National Park, Slovak side) — nature protection rules apply and leaving marked trails is prohibited.
• The yellow trail passing the lake is one-directional — follow the designated direction of travel.

The lake's name has a curious history: the German name 'Fuchssee' was coined in 1901 after surveyor Friedrich Fuchs, but was mistakenly translated as 'Fox Lake' (German: Fuchs = fox), which is how the Slovak name 'Líščie pleso' came about — a charming mix-up that lingered in local maps for decades.