Sviščaki - Mali Snežnik

Access to starting point:
a) From Cerknica or Nova vas na Blokah we drive to Bloška Polica, from where we continue towards Lož and Babno Polje. In the settlement Pudob we turn right in the direction of Snežnik, Ilirska Bistrica, Knežak and the nearby settlement Kozarišče. In Kozarišče we drive slightly left towards Snežnik and also at the following intersections follow the signs for Snežnik. At the end of Kozarišče the asphalt ends, and immediately after the bridge over Mali Obrh we turn left in the direction of Mašun and Knežak. A long drive on a macadam road follows. After approximately 19 km from Kozarišče we reach an intersection where the road from Mašun joins from the right. Here we continue left towards Sviščaki. Another approx. 10 km of macadam road separates us from there, and at intersections we constantly follow the signs for Sviščaki. After a total of nearly 29 km of macadam we reach the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, where we park.
b) We drive to Pivka, from where we continue towards Knežak. In Knežak at the marked intersection we turn left towards Mašun and the settlements Bač and Koritnice. A little further we go right in the direction of Mašun and Koritnice (straight Bač). After Koritnice the road starts to ascend noticeably. After 18 km drive from the main intersection in Knežak we reach Mašun, from where we turn right towards Sviščaki. Another approx. 12 km of macadam road separates us from there. When we reach the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, we park.
c) First we drive to Ilirska Bistrica, then continue towards Sviščaki (the turn-off in the middle of Ilirska Bistrica is marked, but perhaps somewhat less noticeable). The entire regional road to Sviščaki is asphalted. After approx. 19 km of ascent we reach an intersection in the immediate vicinity of the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, where we continue straight to the hut and park.

Route description:
On the opposite side of the road from the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, we notice the mountain markings for Snežnik and the view of Snežnik, which direct us onto the macadam road that continues without change in elevation across the meadow. On the other side of the meadow the path leads us past a water catchment, after which the path turns slightly left into the forest, through which it moderately ascends for a while. After a short ascent we reach another road, which we follow to the right, and after it past some holiday cottages we arrive at a wider macadam road, which we then follow to the left (right is the main road Ilirska Bistrica - Sviščaki). An easy ascent follows on the wider macadam road, along which we continue the route, and after about 10 minutes on it we reach a marked junction where the path to the viewpoint "Pogled na Snežnik" branches off to the left, while the marked footpath continuing to the right leads to Snežnik.
We continue along the road that leads us further through the forest, and past a chasm we quickly reach the marked intersection below Lom, which is located at 1330 meters above sea level.
Here too we continue straight (on the right-hand road we can join the previously mentioned footpath or continue to the hunting lodge in Travni dolci, from there it is also possible to ascend Snežnik, but the path is unmarked) in the direction of Snežnik along the road. Higher up some views open up temporarily, after which we reach the next intersection (in descriptions the starting point Snežniška Grda jama), where we continue on the left lower road (the usual path to Snežnik leads along the right-hand road).
Along the lower road on which we continue the route, we first walk past a parking area, then continue on the road that is closed to public traffic (next to the sign a chain lies across the road). For a short time we continue parallel to the upper road, after which our road turns more to the left and leads us past Snežniška grda jama. A few more minutes of traversing follow, after which we join the marked path from Grda draga, where we continue to the right.
We continue in the direction of Snežnik, along the path that continues through dense forest. Higher up we cross a small clearing, then return to the forest, and the path begins to ascend transversely to the left. After a few minutes of transverse ascent we reach a marked junction where the path from Mašun joins us.
We continue again in the direction of Snežnik, this time on a somewhat steeper path that leads us past a memorial. Above the memorial the first extensive view opens up, reaching across Nanos all the way to the Alps. In the continuation we ascend along the path that leads us through dwarf pine. When the steepness eases we reach the old stone trigonometric point located at the summit, or a few steps below the summit of Mali Snežnik, from where a view opens up to Veliki Snežnik, Istria, Primorska, Notranjska...

The description and photos refer to the situation in 2015 (October).

Along the route: Križišče pod Lomom (1330m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Snežnik ( 25 min)

We recommend: trips from the same starting point, similar trips, summit register