Vražji Prolaz

Useful Information

Location:	Parking Zelni vir, Zeleni vir bb, 51311, Skrad. In Skrad follow Školska road north along the railroad. Zeleni Vir is signposted, the road is a single lane paved road, 3.5 t max, so it is not suitable for coaches. (45.4257056, 14.8925037)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=800 m.
Guided tours:	self guided, D=60 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Vražji Prolaz, Zeleni vir bb, 51311, Skrad.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1921-1922	hydroelectric powerplant „Munjara“ built.
1934	canyon developed with a trail and opened to the public.
1962	declared a special geomorphological reserve.

Description

Vražji Prolaz (Devil's Gorge or Devil's Passage) is one of the most beautiful canyons in Croatia. The brook Jasle flows though the narrow gorge, surrounded by steep cliffs up to 100 m high and at some points only 2 m wide. Visitors follow an iron path, bridges built right above the fast-flowing brook. The narrow gorge receives almost no sun. The water has formed smooth erosional forms, which seem in contrast to the surrounding steep cliffs.

At the end of the gorge there is a cave named Spilja Muževa Hiža (Husband's Son Cave). The entrance portal opens 14 m above the creek. The cave is about 200 m long and quite narrow. It ends at a cave lake. It seems the speleothems are mostly gone as a result of the numerous visitors. This cave is actually too difficult to visit for a visitor of the gorge, many do so nevertheless. If you enter, you definitely need a helmet, at least two lamps, and spare clothes to change afterwards.

The Jasle creek is a tributary of Curak river, which springs only 150 m from the entrance to the gorge. It actually has two springs. There is a cave which is a resurgence, a short passage behind the portal contains a cave river forming a lake. The green colour is result of the high content of dissolved limestone in the water. At the visible end of the cave a sump starts, which was explored by cave divers for 50 m. But the other spring is high above, the cave entrance is at the foot of a vertical limestone cliff between two wooded hillsides. From the top of the rock a waterfall falls in front of the cave into a plunge pool, filled with green water. Following a trail which goes up in serpentines and then follows a small gorge with many rapids you will reach the karst spring named Zeleni Vir (Green Whirlpool). This trail is only about 400 m long, but due to the elevation gain of almost 150 m you should plan half an hour walk.

All the walks start at the parking lot Zeleni Vir, there is a restaurant and a hotel, and the Hidroelektrana Zeleni Vir (Hydroelektric Power Station Zeleni Vir) also „Munjara“. When it was built in 1921 it was the first in this area. There are actually two different nature protection areas nearby, Vražji prolaz (Devill's Passage) and Zeleni vir (Green whirlpool). With two gorges, caves, waterfalls, karst springs, and a botanical educational trail across the ridge to Skrad, the site is very popular in summer on weekends, a time you might want to avoid.