Križe - Velika Poljana

Access to starting point:
A) From the highway Ljubljana - Jesenice, take the Naklo exit, then continue driving towards the settlements Žeje, Spodnje and Zgornje Duplje to the settlement Retnje, where turn right towards the settlement Križe. Further, drive past the NOB monument, Križe sports field to the parking lot by the cemetery and the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
B) From the highway Jesenice - Ljubljana, take the Podbrezje exit, then continue driving towards Ljubelj and Tržič. Before the Petrol gas station in Bistrica pri Tržiču, turn right and then drive into Tržič. When the road descends into the valley, continue sharply right in the direction of Pristava and Križe, further drive on the main road which leads towards Zgornje and Spodnje Duplje, leave the mentioned main road at the settlement Retnje, where continue left in the direction of the settlements Križe and Golnik. Further, drive past the NOB monument, Križe sports field to the parking lot by the cemetery and the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Path description:
From the parking lot, continue on the road towards the east, where the path first leads past the church, then also past the post office, inn Pr Benk and bakery to the crossroads at the chapel, where continue left in the direction of Pristava. The road then also leads past the store Tušek market Markič, then we already notice the first hiking markers for Gozd, Kriška gora and Storžič, which lead us right onto Planinska pot street. At crossroads through the settlement, follow the blazes, then the road loses its asphalt surface and enters the forest. A few minutes higher, at the crossroads of macadam roads, continue right, then gradually emerge from the forest, from where a nice view opens towards Gorenjska. After the panoramic section, the road becomes asphalt and brings us to the place where we join the road leading towards Gozd. Follow the road left, but walk on it only briefly, as the blazes lead right onto a cart track.
Leave the road at a small information board informing about the opening of the hut Zavetišče v Gozdu. From the cart track, continue immediately twice left, so that the ascent continues on a forest path, which soon joins another cart track, along which we return to the asphalt road in a few minutes. Walk a few steps on the road, then a path from Tržič joins from the left, right continues the footpath or cart track towards the hut Zavetišče v Gozdu (straight on the road Koča na Kriški gori - steep path).
Continue on the right path (cart track), which initially runs parallel to the road and further leads past a water trough. Somewhat further, leave the cart track, as the blazes lead left onto a somewhat steeper path, which soon returns to the cart track, and then to the asphalt road. Follow the road right, walking on it for a few more minutes, or until the place where on the right side we notice a large parking lot and beside it Zavetišče v Gozdu.
From the hut, walk to the nearby church, then reach a marked junction, where a path from Golnik joins from the right. Continue left uphill on the increasingly poor road, which brings us to a junction in a few minutes.
Continue on the right cart track in the direction of Storžič, Tolsti vrh and Mala and Velika Poljana (left Koča na Kriški gori). The cart track, which ascends transversely towards the east, has some junctions in the lower part, but they are well marked, so there are no major orientation problems. Higher, the cart track turns into a gradually steeper footpath, which brings us from the forest onto panoramic grassy slopes. After a while, the path levels out and brings us to a pleasant viewpoint with a bench, beside which we notice a memorial.
Further, the path crosses a steep grassy slope (danger of slipping and in winter also avalanche) and then enters dense forest, where we reach a marked junction. Continue straight in the direction of Velika Poljana (left Tolsti vrh), where we cross forested slopes briefly longer, then the forest gradually thins and transitions to steeper slopes of Štajnarica, where it continues with some shorter ascents and descents, and on more difficult spots a few steel cables assist us. In the last part of the crossing over Štajnarica, we also cross a steep grassy slope, from where the first close-up view of Storžič opens. After the bench, the path enters the forest, then begins to descend transversely towards Mala Poljana, which we reach after a few minutes. When we step out of the forest, we also step onto a cart track, along which we descend to the hunting hut on Mala Poljana.
From Mala Poljana, where the path from Tolsti vrh, Dom pod Storžičem and Zalog joins, continue on the left side of the hunting hut, on the path in the direction of Velika Poljana. The path, which further follows the cart track, quickly enters the forest, where it then ascends transversely. After a few minutes of walking, reach a panoramic slope, from which a nice view opens onto the surrounding mountains. Just a little further, the cart track turns right and after a short ascent brings us to the upper edge of Velika Poljana, from where we descend to the hut in a few minutes.

Križe - Zavetišče v Gozdu 1:15, Zavetišče v Gozdu - Mala Poljana 2:00, Mala Poljana - Velika Poljana 0:15.

On the way: Zavetišče v Gozdu mountain hut (891m), Mala Poljana (1325m)

Trip can be extended to: Krničarjeva koča na planini Javornik , Grebenc , Dom na Kališču , Storžič