The Triglav National Park extends north-western Slovenia, near the Austrian and Italian border. The National Park is one of the oldest parks in Europe. It covers 840 square kilometres, roughly 4% of the territory of Slovenia. The park's main focus is to preserve cultural heritage and natural resources.
Due to these efforts, tourists can choose from many different beautiful hiking trails. In this post, we will show five easy or moderate picturesque hiking routes in the area.
Trail and hiking routes
| Soča trail | Seven Lakes Valley | Mostnica gorge | Triglavska Bistrica trail | Tolmin gorge | |
| Starting point | Hut at the source of the Soča / Bovec | Savica waterfall parking lot | Stara Fužina, Voje hut | Mojstrana | Zatolmin |
| Length | 25 km from Bovec | 15 km (circular trail) | 12 km | 12 km | 4 km |
| Duration | Total trail: 7 hours (one way) | 6-7 hours | 4 hours | 6-7 hours | 2 hours |
| Elevation gain | 433 m | 1384 m | 250 m | 375 m | 100 m |
| Points of interest | Source of the Soča river, Mlinarica gorge, Botanic garden Juliana, TNP Dom Trenta | Black lake, Double lakes, Planina pri jezeru, mountain goats, marmots | Devil’s bridge, Mostnica gorge, Voje valley, Mostnica waterfall | Peričnik waterfall, Vrata valley, Alpine Museum | Tolmin gorge, Dante’s cave |
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#1 Soca Trail
The Soca Trail is one of the most scenic walking trails in the National Park. The trail runs from the source of Soča river to Bovec, the whole length is 25 km and considered a medium-difficulty trail.
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Depending on your walking speed, the duration of the trail is 7-8 hours but it’s advised to calculate with a bit of extra time for photographing or just enjoying the view for a bit. The route features several steep gorges as well (e.g. Mlinarica, Soča Valley, and the gorge near Kršovec) but the hikers’ favorites have always been the footbridges over the emerald green water of Soča River.
The Soča Trail is well equipped with information boards so the walk is perfect for adventurous learning about the Triglav National Park. If you are also interested in cultural programs you can stop at Dom Trenta to deepen your travel experience.
The trail is a part of Alpe Adria, a popular trail of three lands: Italy, Slovenia, and Austria. For many hikers, Soča Trail is considered to be the most beautiful part of Alpe Adria.
#2 Seven Lakes Valley
The 8 km long Seven Lakes Valley is located between Lake Bohinj and Trenta. The name isn’t entirely correct since there are more than seven lakes in the valley, but the smaller ones often dry out several times throughout the year. During your walk, you can often meet mountain goats, eagles, and even marmots.
The Seven Lakes Valley trail starts at the Savica Waterfall parking lot. If someone would like to hike through the whole valley it could take at least a day. If you are looking for a shorter, half-day trip, you should walk towards the Black Lake, then visit the Double Lake (when the water level is high, the two lakes combine).
Hike back towards the Planina pri jezeru Lake and you get back to the parking lot in 6-7 hours. It is prohibited to bathe in the lakes of Seven Lakes Valley but you can refresh yourself in Lake Bohinj nearby at the end of your hike.
#3 Mostnica Gorge
The Mostnica gorge can be found near the village of Stara Fuzina. The 2 km long gorge is carved by the Mostnica River. In some parts, the gorge is very narrow – only 1 meter – and up to 20 meters deep.
Not too far from the parking lot, you can find the Devil’s Bridge. Here you can see the Mostnica River’s crystal clear water deep down the gorge.
On the trail, you can see a lot of extraordinary rocks, formations, and pools. The Mostnica gorge’s signature formation is a rock in the shape of an elephant head. After the gorge, the trail continues through the sunny Voje Valley and ends with the Voje waterfall (also known as Mostnica waterfall).
The path is marked easy but you should be cautious at the edges of the gorge. The length of the hiking route is 12 kilometers and takes about 4 hours. From mid-March till the end of October a fee applies to see the gorge.
#4 Triglavska Bistrica trail
The trail runs from Mojstrana to Vrata Valley along the Triglavska Bistrica stream and occasionally even merges with the road. The trail starts in the forest but after a short walk you will come out of the forest and a beautiful view of Mount Triglav opens up.
On the way to Vrata Valley, stopping to see the Peričnik waterfall is a must. A 30-minute circular route will take you behind the waterfall as well. During summer you can admire the clean water and cool down a bit since water drips from the walls of the waterfall.
It’s even more spectacular during winter when the waterfall freezes – a completely unique experience. If you are interested in mountaineering and some history you can check out the Slovenian Alpine Museum as well. The trail ends at Vrata Valley with bright green fields and mountains in the background.
The path is easy and you can walk to Vrata Valley and back in 6-7 hours. However, caution is necessary when you are walking around the waterfalls since the rocks are wet and can be slippery.
#5 Tolmin Gorge
If you are looking for a shorter hike, the Tolmin gorge is a perfect option. The circular trail is 4 km long and takes about 2 hours. Even though the trail is not long and considered easy, caution is required in some parts.
The gorge is located 180 m above sea level and it’s the lowest point of the park. The entrance can be accessed by road from Tolmin.
The Tolminka river’s canyon has always been a popular attraction. A legend says that Dante Alighieri also visited the gorge. He was so impressed by the mysterious place that he wrote Inferno (Hell) of The Divine Comedy with the Tolminka River in mind.