Mašun - Veliki Snežnik

Access to starting point:
From Ilirska Bistrica or Pivka we drive to Knežak, from where we follow the signs for Mašun. This is followed by a few kilometers of driving on a somewhat winding but entirely asphalted road to Mašun, where we park in an arranged parking lot near the inn.

Route description:
From the parking lot we walk to the nearby junction, where we continue slightly to the right in the direction of the European Hiking Trail E6 and Snežnik. At first we walk on an asphalt road, which soon ends. We continue on a wider macadam road, which we follow to a more pronounced left turn. At this turn, which takes less than 20 minutes of walking, we turn right onto a marked cart track. This quickly turns into a less trodden forest path, where we follow the yellow-red markings of the European hiking trail. A little further on we step onto a macadam road, exactly at its turning point. From there we go slightly left onto a cart track, which first descends a little, then continues without major changes in elevation. At a smaller junction, where the wider cart track turns right, we go straight and soon reach another forest road, which we follow to the left. At the next smaller junctions we continue straight, but when we reach a wider macadam road, we follow it to the right in the direction of Snežnik and Sviščaki.
The path leads us past the Škrli hut to a marked junction, where the road sign for Snežnik and Sviščaki directs right, but we continue straight and follow the markings. After a few minutes the markings for the E6 hiking trail direct us right onto a steeper cart track, which we ascend through the forest. At a smaller junction of cart tracks we go right, and a little higher we turn slightly left from the cart track onto a footpath, which soon brings us to a macadam road. We follow the road to the left for a short time, then less visible markings direct us slightly to the right, where we ascend across a newer clearing. When we reach the road again, we ascend it through a left turn (serpentine), and at an abandoned hut we turn right onto a poorer cart track and continue following the markings of the E6 trail. At the nearby junction we go left once more, but when the road turns sharply left, we leave it and continue right onto a marked path. This brings us after a few minutes to the next road, which we follow to the right.
A moderate ascent on macadam follows to a junction. Here the E6 trail branches off to the left, while the road continues towards Sviščaki; we turn left onto a cart track following the markings of the European hiking trail. The cart track soon turns into a steeper footpath, which ascends through a beech forest. When we reach the indistinct forested ridge of Mali Snežnik, we join the path from Grda draga, where the classic Knafelc markings also appear for the first time.
We head towards Snežnik and Mali Snežnik on a somewhat steeper path, which leads past a monument. Above it the first extensive view opens, reaching across Nanos all the way to the Alps. We continue ascending through dwarf pines. When the slope eases, we reach an old trigonometric point stone, which stands just below the summit of Mali Snežnik. From here a wonderful view opens onto Veliki Snežnik, Istria, Primorska and Notranjska.
From Mali Snežnik we continue on a path that descends almost imperceptibly along an indistinct eastern ridge. We then move onto the western, very scenic ridge of Veliki Snežnik, which we follow mainly in a gentle to occasionally moderate ascent. A little further on Matetova pot joins from the right, and a little later the usual path from Sviščaki as well.
At both junctions we continue straight, then we ascend transversely on the steeper slope of Veliki Snežnik, which is dangerous for slipping in snow. After a few minutes we reach the Zavetišče na Velikem Snežniku, in front of which we turn left and in a few steps ascend to the 1796 meter high summit.

The description and photos refer to the situation in September 2020.

Along the route: Vrata (1024m), Mali Snežnik (1694m)

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