IN Hiking , Hiking blog , photography

Spring too often seems to take its time arriving in the Slovenian Alps. But when it does turn up, it creates otherworldly scenery spreading wildflower colors everywhere. While in May you can find glorious spring practically everywhere at different elevation, there are a few spots particularly famous for their blooming flowers. Yes, I’ve written about Velika Planina and Golica already, but here is yet another beautiful flower hike, which against all odds isn’t crowded at all.

A dog enjoying in a field of wild daffodils on Dovška Rožca, the Slovenian Alps
The Dovška Rožca Plateau and its daffodils (16th May)

Blooming fields of dandelion, Slovenia, the Karawanks
Long yellow meadows of dandelions blooming somewhere at the beginning of the Dovška Baba trail.


Even though spectacular carpets of purple crocuses on Velika Planina from a few weeks ago are probably slowly saying goodbye for this year, spring in the mountains is far from over. White daffodils are actually just beginning to turn up at higher elevation in the Karawanks. Even though Golica is the most famous for its daffodils, its less visited neighbor to the West, Mt. Dovška Baba, 1,891 m, grows long fields of the white flowers as well. Particularly on Planina Dovška Rožca, a plateau below the peak, whose name itself implies growing flowers (Eng. Flower Plateau).

Blooming hellebores in the mountains, Slovenia, the Karawanks
The earliest flowers, hellebores, are still growing on the green slopes of the Karawanks.

Blooming crocuses on the southern slopes of Dovška Baba, Slovenia, the Karawanks mountains
If Velika Planina is mostly famous for its purple crocuses, the ones here on Dovška Baba mostly color white.

Flowering heather in the Karawanks mountains, Slovenia
Flowering heather and peaks further along to the west in the 120-km long Karawanks mountain range.

A shepherd’s hut on the Dovška Rožca Plateau, 1,650 m, on the way to Dovška Baba, Slovenia
A shepherd’s hut on the Dovška Rožca Plateau, 1,650 m, and the peak of Dovška Baba behind it.

Wild daffodils in the Slovenian Alps, the Karawanks, Dovška Rožca
Fragile, fresh and smelling so incredibly good…. mmmmm…. I went to check the Dovška Rožca Plateau again yesterday and the daffodils are finally here in full bloom! (16th May)

Daffodils on the Dovška Rožca Plateau, Slovenia, the Karawanks
Wild daffodils are the prettiest.

A female hiker jumping from joy in the mountains
The views from the shepherd’s hut on the Dovška Rožca Plateau are just gorgeous! In case you’re wondering, that’s Triglav behind me.

Arriving at the trailhead
There are several marked trails that lead to the peak of Dovška Baba, two of which even start from Austria (as the mountain borders Austria). The most easily accessible trails are definitely the ones that start from Dovje, a village close to Mojstrana (A2, Jesenice Zahod – Hrušica exit, then continue towards Kranjska Gora for a few kilometers). If you start your hike in the Dovje village, you’ll do a 1,131-m ascent in roughly three hours (5-6 hours for a round trip). For those of you who are either doing a family hike or prefer shorter hikes in general, I suggest you follow our steps and drive 440 meters up a gravel road to the meadows called Ravne, located above the Dovje village. From there, it’s only a 691-m ascent and it takes less than two hours.

On the trail…
…or on the road to be exact. Dovška Baba just might be one of the most easily accessible mountains in the Karawanks as you can hike a good part up the mountain on a nice and wide gravel road. Actually, the gravel road from Dovje continues all the way to the Dovška Rožca Plateau (with the hiking part closed for traffic), from where it’s just half an hour over scenic grassy slopes to the very peak.

Hiking in the Karawanks
I know what you might be thinking, but as dull as hiking on a road might sound, it’s actually quite the opposite; to walk somewhere without thinking about not missing the right trail or the kids falling off, and actually ending up somewhere totally spectacular is exactly the thing I sometimes need. A sort of brainless hike in paradise. I vote yes!

Two hikers in the mountains
Before long, these fields will be all white with blooming daffodils.

A lonely hiker in the mountains, Slovenia
Lonely me and the big one. Yes, there was only me and my family on the mountain that afternoon.

Walking along the long ridge in the Karawanks
Extending 120 km East – West, the Karawanks are perfect for ridge walking.

The most fascinating thing? While there weren’t exactly endless fields of flowers ten days ago, carpets of daffodils and other beautiful flowers had turned up for my yesterday’s visit to the Dovška Rožca Plateau! And the best thing? I was completely alone up there, yaaay!

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