One Lovely Park
I chose the trip I did to Croatia because Plitvice Lakes (PLEA-veet-seh) were on the agenda. Also known as the Land of Falling Lakes, the 16 turquoise cascading lakes separated by limestone dams and countless waterfalls are located in Croatia’s first national park and one of Europe’s last old-growth forests. The 114-square-mile park, established as a national forest in 1949, became a UNESCO site in 1979. There is no town nearby, but 700,000 people visit the park each year, however few are Americans. The park has two entrances.
Running parallel to the Dalmatian Coast the natural landscape of karst formations is located in the limestone Denaridge Mountains. Travertine traces can be seen in some of the streams. The area is famous for its numerous waterfalls and green, emerald, and turquoise waters. Clear water, flowing from the mountains, brings calcium carbonate with it which interacts with plants, algae, and moss to create the beauty and ever-changing landscape that is in constant motion. Minerals coat vegetation on the lake bottoms that reflects sunlight creating a blue color. Eventually vegetation thickens, and travertine barriers form and waterfalls emerge. It is one of Europe’s most spectacular natural wonders.
Nestled between Mount Mala Kapela and Mount Pljesevica the upper and lower lakes have a height difference of 440-feet. The lakes are tranquil in summer, but waterfalls continue to flow during cold, harsh winters filled with ice and snow. The longest waterfall, located in the lower lakes, is 250-feet high. The mountain flow of water determines whether one experiences a light mist or thundering deluge. Lake Kozjak is the largest lake.
The magical landscape includes forests, lakes, streams, rivers, and miles of pleasant walks in the National Park. Trees cling to cliffs. In the ancient European forest and trees stay where they fall.
Abundant beech trees provide nuts for wildlife. The plentiful wildlife includes brown bear, European owl, mice, squirrel-like dormice, grey heron, otter, wild cats, European pond turtle, wolf, boar, woodpeckers, turkey grouse, black stork, red squirrel, badgers and 160 species of birds.
The recent war’s first casualty was a park policeman. Serbs occupied the park until 1995, but fortunately there was little damage to the area other than the killing of much of the larger wildlife.
Hotel Jezero, a large modern hotel with 229 rooms, is located at the park entrance. Surrounded by lush forest, the region’s tranquil waters are at your doorstep.
It was a long transfer day from Dubrovnik to Plitvice. Late afternoon we went for a walk in the woods descending many of the 239 steps to the lake. I could hear waterfalls but couldn’t quite get to them. The weather had cooled considerably. The beautiful area is very peaceful.
The next morning we woke to a lovely day. Our guide told us, “I was here five times last year and it rained every time.” We were lucky!
We walked around the incredibly beautiful lower four lakes. There are waterfalls around every corner, all sizes, all heights. The water not only rolled over the edge but also flowed thru several holes in the rock so a fall might have 7-8 falls flowing under the water falling over the top. I have never seen such falls. They were unbelievable.
The water was not as cold as I expected. The pathways were well packed and smooth. In many places we walked over elevated wooded walkways. I walked slowly as this was a prime destination for me and I wanted to absorb the scenery and beauty as long as possible.
In one lake fish swarmed in large schools along the edge in several places. The waster was crystal clear everywhere. The colors of the lakes varied from green to turquoise. The sound of running water was wonderful.
The 12 upper lakes are less scenic and are visited much less often. The walks in the park are limited to the areas around the lakes, even though the park extends much farther. There are still war remnants left in the rural areas and it is not safe to walk them without extreme caution.
We were visiting on a Saturday but ran into virtually no other people. We did meet a couple of young American girls who had been studying in Italy and were now headed home. Ah youth!
The area is often referred to as the Devil’s Garden or Land of the Wolf which translates into lifka.
Plitvice ranks high on my list as one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. I didn’t want to leave, but eventually we came to the end at one of the largest lakes and reluctantly left.
