The road to Vrátna Valley in Malá Fatra National Park runs south from Terchová up through the crags of Tiesňavy Gorge , past picnic sites and scenic stops. The Vratna Výt'ah cable car then hauls you from the top of the valley to Snilovské saddle (1524m) below two peaks, Chleb (1647m) and Velký Kriváň (1709m).
Both these hikes are on the red ridge trail, one of the most popular in the park. A hike northeast from Chleb over Hromové (1636m), Poludňový grúň (1636m) and Stoh (1608m) to Medziholie saddle (1185m) takes about 5½ hours.
From there you can descend on the green trail to Štefanová village where there's a bus stop, accommodation and restaurants. Further east, the precipitous gorge of Horné Diery is known as Jánošíkové Diery (Jánošík's Holes) for its rock formations ravined by waterfalls. A challenging 2½-hour woodsy route, involving ascents by waterfall-splashed ladders, runs from Hotel Diery up and round to Hotel Boboty near Štefanová.
The main summer season is July and August; during other months businesses may close. For serious hiking, VKÚ's 1:50,000 Malá Fatra-Vrátna map (No 110) is good. In summer the Organization for Sport Activities rents mountain bikes (€8) and organises rafting trips (per person €13 to €36 ) in the vicinity.
The full complement of Vrátna Valley's 14 ski tows and lifts (8am to 4pm) are open December to April. Shacks with ski rental keep the same hours and are located at Starý Dvor, where ski passes are also available.
