What is the highest peak of the High Tatras?

Gerlachovský štít is the highest peak of the High Tatras. Usually listed at 2,654.4 metres, it is also the highest mountain in Slovakia and the entire Carpathian Mountains.

The peak is a granite mountain in Slovakia’s Tatra National Park. Its summit rises roughly 2,000 metres above the surrounding valleys, giving it a dramatic profile despite the High Tatras being a relatively compact mountain range. The mountain’s Slovak name means “Peak of Gerlach,” referring to the nearby village of Gerlachov.

Gerlachovský štít was not always recognized as the highest summit. Earlier surveys treated Kriváň as the highest, while Lomnický štít and Ľadový štít were also candidates. Forester Ľudovít Greiner identified Gerlach as the highest in 1838, and an Austrian Army survey formally confirmed the result in 1868.

A common mix-up is confusing the highest High Tatras peak with the range’s most famous or visually distinctive summits. Lomnický štít is a celebrated 2,634-metre peak, while Kriváň is an important Slovak cultural symbol, but neither is higher than Gerlachovský štít. Reaching the summit generally requires a guide and scrambling experience.