Plitvice Lakes in Croatia - Hiking Guide for Entrance 1 and 2

Plitvice is just mesmerizing throughout the year. The best months regarding weather and crowds are June and September, my favourite months. The hot summer months of July and August are the peak season. The best time of the day is the early morning, with perfect sunlight on the picturesque waterfalls. It is also less crowded early morning (the park opens at 7 am).

In the morning and evening, it's quiet and tranquil, and you can soak in the real beauty of this unique National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hiking Trails from Entrances 1 and 2

You can choose between 8 different routes and difficulty levels, hiking from 3 hours up to 8 hours.

Entrance 1

• Trail A (2-3 hours - 3.5km - easy) lower lakes only as it starts and ends at Entrance 1. Walk to the Great Waterfall and Kozjaka Bridge.
• Trail B (3-4 hours -4km - easy) is similar to Trail A but includes a boat trip on Lake Kozjaka.
• Trail C (4-6 hours - 8km - moderate) extended Trail B, including a visit to the upper lakes.
  For a more moderate hike, Trail C from Entrance No 1 is the best choice. You’ll visit both lakes, and you’ll start the trail uphill through the park and end at the top of the upper lakes, where you can eat your packed lunch at picnic tables.
• Trail K (6-8 hours - 18.3km - difficult) Explores the whole park.

If you start from Entrance 2 (south gate-Upper Lakes), you can choose between:

• Trail E (2-3 hours - 5.2 km - easy) upper lakes to Proscansko Jezero, starting with a boat ride across the Kozjak Lake.
• Trail F (3-4 hours - 4.6km - easy), walk the upper lakes and sail across Lake Kozjaka, then visit the lower lakes - take a shuttle back.
• Trail H (4-6 hours - 8.9km - moderate) starts with a bus ride to your starting point, walk the upper lakes, then sail across Lake Kozjaka to the lower lakes - take a shuttle bus back.
• Trail K-2 (6-8 hours - 18.3km -difficult) like Trail K-1 - explore the whole park.

We did a long hike from Entrance 2 to the beginning of the lilac track called "Plitvica Trail". The trail is 9 km long and leads to a beautiful landscape, and ends at the Kozjacka Draga boat dock. You can either take the boat or even walk back to Entrance 2, which we did. It's a full-day hike and not very popular.

Weather and Seasons

Park is open all year round, and most of the precipitation occurs in spring and autumn. However, if you don't mind some rain, spring or fall, the shoulder season is a great time to visit.

• Spring is a fabulous time as water levels are high from the melting snow, and waterfalls reach their peak flow. Bear in mind if the water level is too high, some parts may be closed. Most of the precipitation occurs in spring and autumn. The meadows are full of wildflowers.
• Summer (July & August) can become very hot, which is the most crowded time of the year. Besides, the water level is lower than at other times of the year.
• Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit when the changing leaves' vibrant colours are magnificent. However, rain occurs more often in spring and fall.
• Winter, when the park is quiet and beautiful, covered in snow, and the lakes are frozen.

Avoiding Crowds

Try to arrive early, best before 9 am (the park opens at 7 am), as most tourists come around mid-day via bus transfer. As an alternative, visit in the afternoon when most tour groups have finished their guided walks, and you can enjoy the tranquillity of the park. I recommend staying here for a minimum of two nights. Either choose the Hotel Bellevue with an excellent location inside the park where you are not dependent on transport, or one of the many private accommodations nearby. Enter your dates and click on the map. The big advantage is that you can visit the park already early morning and stay until the gates get closed.