About Routes
Crni Vrh group is encircled with marked paths which come from several direction but only highest peak
Crni Vrh (1110m) is reached by marked or path in general. This short branch which leads to the summit of Crni Vrh can be approached from
6 directions! All of them finally melt into 2 main access paths, one coming from NW (
Paklenica hut direction), the other from SE (
Veliko Mocilo direction).
~ From
Paklenica hut 3 access direction are possible.
1st leads via
Malo Mocilo,
2nd via
Klimenta ridge but joins 1st before summit.
3rd leads through
upper Velika Paklenica valley partially using
Velika Paklenica route towards Sveto Brdo (Paklenica hut – Ivine Vodice section) and branches at half way point towards
Veliko Mocilo where joins
Ivine Vodice & Jurline variations.
~ From
Velika Paklenica canyon 2 variations are possible. Both are joint till
Jurline hamlet where
1st branches towards
Malo Mocilo and joins there
1st Paklenica hut.
2nd leads from Jurline hamlet towards Crni Vrh
via Veliko Mocilo where is joined by
3rd Paklenica hut & Ivine Vodice variations.
~ From
Ivine Vodice access is also possible but this will not be described. For section between Veliko Mocilo and Ivine Vodice refuge see
Mala Paklenica route &
Velika Paklenica route towards
Sveto Brdo. From Veliko Mocilo till summit see
Velika Paklenica – Jurline – Veliko Mocilo – Crni Vrh section below.
Velika Paklenica – Jurline hamlet – Veliko Mocilo – Crni Vrh: 3h
This route branches from main
Starigrad Paklenica – Paklenica hut route some
35-40mins from the
parking in Velika Paklenica. If you are starting from there add that time to stated 3h. Description till junction see on
Vidakov Kuk routes page or on the link above.
At the
junction on the main path through Velika Paklenica sign points right towards
Mala Paklenica. Soon you’ll reach creek crossing which is done over the larger rocks which were thrown in it. This can be little tricky when water is high. It is good to have walking poles to keep balance. Sometimes the only way it to take off your shoes and walk through water.
Ascent begins immediately on the other side. In
60 major 180° turns and numerous smaller ones path zigzags up
350m high side of the valley, aiming for the pass between
Krivi Kuk cliff on the left and huge
Jurasova Glava (754m) on the right. Till the pass (600m) you need between
50mins-1h. Just left of the path is nice rocky observation deck with beautiful view down into the valley and cliffs on the opposite side. On the pass is
junction where is left towards
Skiljici hamlet & Malo Mocilo while you continue straight.
After
10mins you get to
Jurline hamlet and pass left by well preserved house with a well. In summer sometimes horses are held here. Just behind the house is
junction where left path leads again towards
Skiljici hamlet & Malo Mocilo.
Continue straight across the meadows. Soon path becomes rocky and gradual ascent begins and in
5-10mins you reach long complex of meadows which are on the small plateau below the rocky slopes of wide
Borovnik (1056m). Here path takes right (SE) direction and leads over the meadows or through pine groves
20mins till
Lekine Njive (meadow)
junction,
1.30h from Paklenica valley or
2.10h from parking. Here from left approaches
Mala Paklenica route. Turn left towards
Velika Mocila & Ivine Vodice as sign points.
Here opens beautiful view into
Mala Paklenica valley (canyon is lower and cannot be seen). On the other side of the valley is mighty
Jerkovac (1250m) and sharp
Vlaski Grad (1375m) behind it. Further back is
Sveto Brdo (1757m). Path ascends some
10mins to the rocky panoramic shoulder. Behind it is another
20mins through beautiful pine groves till
junction at the edge of
Veliko Mocilo. Sign points right towards
Ivine Vodice. From that direction will come those that are heading towards Crni Vrh from
Ivine Vodice or Vlaski Grad refuges. Turn left towards
Veliko Mocilo.
It takes some
10mins of going at the edge of meadows and through pine groves till the
water source on the other side of Veliko Mocilo. In times when people were using Veliko Mocilo as summer pasture it was large complex of meadows. Since then pine is spreading gradually and meadows are retreating. Just behind the source is
junction where right path leads over
Greblje pass and descents in
upper Velika Paklenica valley. This way
3rd Paklenica hut variation approaches (sign says ‘Planinarski Dom’ which means mountain hut).
Our path towards Crni Vrh begins to ascend, at first gradually through pine forest but soon gets steeper. After
25-30mins you’ll reach shoulder below Crni Vrh where terrain flattens. It is few more minutes till the
junction below the peak. Straight leads path which later branches in
1st and 2nd Paklenica hut variations and
Malo Mocilo variation of this route.
Left begins steep ascent, which first leads to the pass below summit then last very steep summit ascent through pines till you get out on clear summit head,
10mins from the junction below.
Velika Paklenica – Skiljici hamlet – Malo Mocilo – Crni Vrh: 2.50h
Till the
junction on the pass (600m) at the edge of Velika Paklenica valley see the route above. Turn left here towards
Skiljici hamlet. It takes
10mins to get there over rocky plateau. In Skiljici there is a
junction in front of the house where right branch leads towards
Jurline hamlet & Veliko Mocilo.
Our path takes left direction and gradually ascends over rocky plateau, between oaks and hornbeams. In some
15mins you’ll reach rocky shoulder which descends from
Borovnik (1020m) towards edge of Velika Paklenica on the left. Here opens beautiful view towards the valley, sea through the canyon and sharp
Veliki Golic (1265m) on the other side of the valley.
In next
15mins path traverses slopes above the Velika Paklenica valley heading for small valley between
Orlov Kuk (862m) on the left and Borovnik on the right. Through it ascends additional
15mins till the
Malo Mocilo meadows and
junction, almost or
2h from the valley and
2.40 from parking in Paklenica.
First left branch leads to
Velika Paklenica valley via Donja Draga and joins main route in the valley some 20mins before Paklenica hut. Second left branch leads
directly to Paklenica hut. From that direction comes
1st Paklenica hut route and for further going towards
Crni Vrh, which is towards right, see description of that route below.
Paklenica hut – Malo Mocilo – Crni Vrh: 2h
From Paklenica hut go back over double bridge and then left uphill shortly till the
junction where straight main path continues towards
upper Velika Paklenica, Ivine Vodice refuge & Sveto Brdo (1751m). Turn right in
Crni Vrh direction. Path ascends some
5mins in several sharp bends till the
junction where it branches left towards
Crni Vrh via Klimenta while right is
Crni Vrh via Malo Mocilo.
Behind the junction is short flat section, then path ascends quite steeply left of rocky fence above which turns right and traverses slope before final few turns till the panoramic rocky shoulder,
10-15mins from junction. From here beautiful view opens down the steep slope into Paklenica valley and peaks around. Above
Suha Draga, side valley of Velika Paklenica, is huge
Veliki Golic (1265m). Behind are
Viserujna (1632m),
Rapavac (1617m) and
Crljeni Kuk (1661m).
Behind this spot path turns left and enters
Gornja Draga, side valley of Velika Paklenica which ascends all the way to the foot of Crni Vrh. Path traverses its left slopes, quite high above the rising bottom, and gradually ascending. After some
25mins path reaches the bottom of the rising valley, crosses over it and begins very steep ascent up the right side of the valley. After
15mins you reach the edge of the valley behind which is
Malo Mocilo meadows and
junction. Straight branch leads towards
Skiljici and Jurline hamlets and Velika Paklenica canyon so from this direction approaches
Velika Paklenica route via Malo Mocilo. Right branch descends to
Velika Paklenica valley via Donja Draga. Our is left branch which leads towards
Crni Vrh.
Path continues to ascend through tunnel cut through dense pines, later through mixed beech/pine forest, above right side of the valley. After
20mins path reaches the bottom of the rising valley again and makes a 180° left turn taking opposite direction and gradually ascending up the other side of the valley.
15mins later there is another 180° right turn where path leaves Gornja Draga valley and enters parallel one, which is shallow. Through it ascent continues and in
5mins you reach
junction,
40mins from Malo Mocilo. Here from left approaches
Klimenta variation.
Joint path continues gradually to ascent through shallow rising valley under nice beeches and pines. Occasionally there is view left through the trees towards upper Velika Paklenica valley and peaks above it. After
15mins comes the
junction below Crni Vrh where straight is towards
Veliko Mocilo. All Crni Vrh routes join at this point.
Right begins steep ascent, which first leads to the pass below summit then last very steep summit ascent through beautiful pines till you get out on clear summit head,
10-15mins from the junction below.
Paklenica hut – Klimenta – Crni Vrh: 1.50h
From Paklenica hut go back over double bridge and then left uphill shortly till the
junction where straight main path continues towards
upper Velika Paklenica, Ivine Vodice refuge & Sveto Brdo (1751m). Turn right in
Crni Vrh direction. Path ascends some
5mins in several sharp bends till the
junction where it branches left towards
Crni Vrh via Klimenta while right is
Crni Vrh via Malo Mocilo.
Path continues to ascent quite steeply up the steep side of Crni Vrh group, which closes upper Velika Paklenica valley from the south. It winds through beeches and pines some
15mins where it begins to traverse the slope, ascending more gently. In next
30mins path takes you far towards SE avoiding
Kuk od Rujica (961) cliffs which are above in the
Klimenta ridge. Once behind it path turns right and begins to ascent steeply towards the ridge which you reach after some
15-20mins over nice grassy pass.
Few minutes behind the pass is a
junction where from right approaches
Paklenica hut – Malo Mocilo variation.
Joint path continues gradually to ascent through shallow rising valley under nice beeches and pines. Occasionally there is view left through the trees towards upper Velika Paklenica valley and peaks above it. After
15mins comes the
junction below Crni Vrh where straight is towards
Veliko Mocilo. All Crni Vrh routes join at this point.
Right begins steep ascent, which first leads to the pass below summit then last very steep summit ascent through beautiful pines till you get out on clear summit head,
10-15mins from the junction below.