First discoverers of High Tatras were shepherds, poachers or treasure hunters. From the 18th century, but mainly in the 19th century, also lovers of nature, tourism and mountaineering began to discover High Tatras. The area of Cold valleys on the south part of High Tatras was the first where human dared to build first permanent dwellings. Štefan Csáky had the first hunting lodge built near Slavkov acidic waters in 1793, it was soon joined by other buildings. That year is generally accepted as the foundation year of the first Tatra settlement, Starý Smokovec of today. Smokovec was the starting point not only for the Great and Small Cold valley, which are even today one of the most visited places in the whole High Tatras, but also for Lomnický peak and Prostredný ridge, which separates the Great and Small Cold valley.
In 1833, Johann Georg Rainer (1800 – 1872) of Spišská Sobota who significantly contributed not only to the development of the Smokovec settlement itself, but also tourism in High Tatras, had become the tenant of  Smokovec. Rainer put a shelter on Starolesnianska poľana into service in 1863. The object, well preserved to this day, is the oldest alpine chalet in High Tatras. Increasing interest in this part of High Tatras has later called for construction of Téry chalet in Small Cold valley and Zbojnícka chalet in Great Cold valley.
This trend took hold also in Sub-Tatra towns. The then mayor of Poprad and businessman  Dávid  Husz (1813 – 1889) built at the edge of Poprad the first buildings of spa resort, later known as Huszpark, already in 1868. Dávid Husz became a co-founder of Hungarian Carpathian Society in 1873. The Society’s foundation meeting took place in Smokovec. The Society was the first tourist organisation in the Tatra area and it significantly affected events also in broader region and it also contributed to making High Tatras accessible to tourists.
                                                                                                                                      Rastislav Ovšonka