Carrying Capacity Assessment of Hiking Trails as a Tool for Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable tourism is a widely discussed topic, particularly in high mountain protected areas that face increasing pressure from excessive numbers of tourists. This issue is especially relevant to the Tatras, one of the most visited mountain ranges in Slovakia. In 1978, the limestone section of the Belianske Tatras was closed to tourists due to severe environmental degradation. However, there is still no systematic, long-term monitoring of visitor numbers or comprehensive research assessing the biotic and abiotic characteristics of individual hiking trails.This study evaluates the carrying capacity of two trails—one in the High Tatras and another in the Belianske Tatras—both of which differ in geology, geomorphology, and vegetation. Our findings indicate that the more resilient granite trail in the High Tatras, despite receiving twice the number of visitors, exhibits minimal signs of erosion. In contrast, significant erosion is evident on the moderately durable limestone trail in the Belianske Tatras.We emphasize the urgent need for localized research on trail carrying capacity and continuous monitoring of visitors in the Tatras. We recommend the active participation of regional institutions in developing long-term monitoring programs and strategic conservation policies to ensure the sustainable management of these mountain trails.