National Geographic Traveler - USA (2019-06 & 2019-7)

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CYCLE VRŠIČ PASS

With 50 switchbacks, an

elevation gain of 4,035

feet, and soul-stirring vis-

tas, the 39-mile Vršič Pass

ride—from Kranjska Gora to

Trnovo—is a bucket-list feat

for hard-core cyclists. The

asphalt and cobblestone

route passes a monument

to Julius Kugy, the Italian

climber and botanist hailed

for exploring these moun-

tains; the Juliana Alpine

Botanical Garden (most

colorful in May and June);

and a WWI cemetery. An

easier 25-mile spin begins

in the town of Tolmin and

traces the turquoise Most

na Soči lake before rolling

through a series of villages,

past the Babja Jama cave,

where women and children

reportedly hid during

the 15th-century Osmani

plunder, to the medieval

town of Kanal and beyond.

HIKE MOUNTAIN SLOPES

Tucked in a horseshoe-

shaped valley, Trenta is a

gateway to hundreds of

miles of hiking, including

the 12-mile Trenta–Kranjska

Gora stage of the Alpe-

Adria trail, which winds

through forests, crests the

5,285-foot Vršič Pass, and

pauses at a tiny wooden

chapel built in 1917 by

Russian prisoners of

war to honor their fallen

comrades. For a quicker

high, board the cable car

in Bovec and disembark—

35 minutes and more than

a vertical mile later—at

Kanin ski resort, home to

one of Slovenia’s highest

restaurants and routes

ranging from gentle strolls

to the demanding 8,487-

foot summit of Big Mount

Kanin, which offers views

stretching to the Adriatic

Sea, some 35 miles away.

RAFT THE SOČA RIVER

The Soča’s mesmerizing

hue, born of mineral

deposits in the limestone

bedrock, enchants visitors

even before they dip a

paddle in the more than 15

miles of Class I to IV rapids

that run between the

settlements of Lepena and

Trnovo. The water color,

boulder “gardens,” and

forest-lined gorges draw

rafters and kayakers from

around the world. And

while the setting belies a

dark history—Italian and

Austro-Hungarian troops

waged battles along this

river in WWI—peace reigns

today, especially in the

crystalline pools and coves

between rapids. The river

runs higher during the

spring melt, but summer

and early fall offer warmer

weather to offset the brisk

water temperatures.

Swimmers cool off in

the emerald waters of the

Great Soča Gorge, near

Bovec (opposite). Other

area adventures include

dog-friendly mountain

hikes and thigh-burning

bike rides over high-

elevation passes.

50 50 mmii

50 50 kmkm

Trenta

Ljubljana

AUSTRIA

ITALY

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SLOVENIA

Adriatic

Sea

JUNE/JULY 2019