Grda draga - Mali Snežnik

Access to starting point:
A) From Cerknica or Nova vas na Blokah we first drive to Bloška Polica, from there we continue driving in the direction of 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 continue slightly left in the direction of Snežnik and also in the next crossroads we follow the road in the direction of Snežnik. When Kozarišče ends, the asphalt also ends, and we immediately after the bridge over Mali Obrh continue left in the direction of Mašun and Knežak. There follows a long drive on a macadam road, after approximately 19 km from Kozarišče we arrive at a crossroad, where the road from Mašun joins from the right. Here we continue left in the direction of Sviščaki, to which there is still approximately 10 km of macadam, at crossroads we follow the signs for Sviščaki. After approximately 27 km of macadam road we arrive at the hunting cottage in Grda draga, about 100 m further to the planinski and information boards, near which we park.
B) We drive to Pivka, from there we continue driving towards Knežak. In Knežak at the marked crossroad we continue left in the direction of Mašun and the settlements Bač and Koritnice. A little further we go right in the direction of Mašun and Koritnice (straight to Bač). After Koritnice the road starts to ascend more noticeably, then after 18 km from the main crossroad in Knežak it brings us to Mašun, from where we continue driving right in the direction of Sviščaki, to which there is still approximately 12 km of macadam road. 2 km before Sviščaki we arrive at a larger grassy plain named Grda draga, where we first notice the hunting cottage, about 100 m further the beginning of the marked mountain path to Snežnik. When we arrive at Planinski dom na Sviščakih we park.
C) First we drive to Ilirska Bistrica, then we continue driving towards Sviščaki (the turn-off is in the middle of Ilirska Bistrica and is marked, perhaps a little less visible). At first we ascend on an asphalt road, then after just under 12 km of ascent the asphalt changes to macadam. There follows another approximately 7 km of macadam, then we arrive at a crossroad directly next to Planinski dom na Sviščakih, where we continue straight towards the nearby Planinski dom na Sviščakih. From the Planinski dom we continue driving towards Mašun, where after a further 2 km of macadam we arrive at Grda draga, where we park next to the planinski boards.

Path description:
From the starting point in Grda draga we head onto the footpath in the direction of Snežnik and Snežna Mati Božja. The path first leads us along the edge of the meadow, then behind a smaller feeding site, which we bypass on the right side, it takes us into the forest, through which we first ascend gently, then moderately on a cart track. The cart track has some forks, and we follow the path along which we notice the blazes. Higher we reach the chapel of Marija Snežna, and the path continues on the cart track, which has some forks. Also at the mentioned forks we follow the blazes, then we cross the forest road, where from the right the path from the starting point Sviščaki and Snežniška Grda jama joins, and to the left the road continues towards Pekel.
We continue in the direction of Snežnik on the path that continues through dense forest. Higher we cross a smaller clearing, then we return to the forest, and the path starts to ascend diagonally to the left. After a few minutes of diagonal ascent we reach a marked junction, where the path from Mašun joins.
We again continue 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. Continuing we ascend on the path that leads us through dwarf pines. When the steepness eases we arrive at the old stone trigonometric point marker, located at the summit, or a few steps below the summit of Mali Snežnik, from where a view opens onto Veliki Snežnik, Istria, Primorska, Notranjska...
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2015 (October).

On the way: Kapelica Marije Snežne (1300m)

Trip can be extended to: Snežnik ( 25 min)