Western Tatras

The Western Tatras (; Tatry Zachodnie) are mountains in the Tatras, part of the Carpathian Mountains, located on the Polish Slovak borders. The mountains border the High Tatras in the east, Podtatranská kotlina in the south, Choč Mountains in the west and Rów Podtatrzański in the north. The main ridge is 37 kilometers long and the mountain range contains 31 two thousanders. Western Tatras are the second highest mountain range both in Poland and Slovakia; its highest peak is Bystrá at 2,248 meters. Other notable mountains include Jakubiná (2,194 m), Baranec (2,184 m), Baníkov (2,178 m), Tri kopy (2,136.3 m), Plačlivé (2,125.1 m), Ostrý Roháč (2,087.5 m), Volovec (Polish: Wołowiec; 2,064 m), Kasprowy Wierch (Slovak: Kasprov vrch; 1,987 m) and Giewont (1,894 m). In Slovakia, they are partially located in the traditional regions of Liptov and Orava. The highest point in Poland is Starorobociański Wierch (2,176 m).

The Western Tatras are protected by Tatranský národný park in Slovakia and Tatrzański Park Narodowy in Poland.

There are approximately 20 to 32 tarns in Western Tatras. The exact number is difficult to obtain because of lack of an exact definition and because it is sometimes hard to prove what is a tarn and what is not. The following is a list of 15 largest tarns in Western Tatras:
Image Slovak name Polish name Height (m) Area (ha) Depth (m) Dolné Roháčske pleso Niżni Staw Rohacki 1563 2.22 6.3 Horné Roháčske pleso Wyżni Staw Rohacki 1718 1.45 8.1 Dolné Jamnícke pleso Niżni Jamnicki Staw 1728 1.13 4.0 Horné Bystré pleso Wielki Staw Bystry 1875 0.86 12.5 Horné Račkovo pleso Zadni Staw Raczkowy 1717 0.74 10.0 Tretie Roháčske pleso Pośredni Rohacki Staw 1653 0.61 3.7 Horné Jamnícke pleso Wyżni Jamnicki Staw 1834 0.41 8.0 Spodné Bystré pleso Niżni Staw Bystry 1837 0.34 4.0 Pleso pod Zverovkou Stawek pod Zwierówką 983 0.31 1.2 Ťatliakovo pleso Czarna Młaka 1370 0.28 1.2 Druhé Roháčske pleso Mały Rohacki Staw 1650 0.28 1.3 Horné Tomanovo pleso Wyżni Tomanowy Stawek 1592 0.19 1.0 Žiarske pleso 1860 0.11 0.8 Kobylie pleso Kobyli Stawek 1742 0.10 1.5 Biele Bobrovecké pleso Biały Stawek Bobrowiecki 1502 0.10 1.5

There are four tourist centers inside the Western Tatras area: Zverovka, Brestová and Ťatliakova chata in the northern region and Žiarska chata in the southern region. All other tourist centers lie at the outside borders of the mountains, including: Oravice, Zuberec, Bobrovecká vápenica, Žiar, Konská, Jakubovany Studená dolina, Pribylina, Podbanské.