Black Lake (Crno jezero)

Two lakes in one

The name covers two basins, Veliko jezero (the large lake) and Malo jezero (the small one), joined by a narrow strait. In a dry summer the strait disappears and the two stand apart. Snowmelt, springs such as Čelina and waterfalls that run only in spring feed the lake; it has no visible outlet. The water drains underground and, unusually, reaches two river systems at once, the Tara and the Piva. In winter the surface freezes.

The lake lies at the edge of the Durmitor plateau, which averages 1,450 to 1,500 m, below the central ridge of Savin kuk, Šljeme and Bobotov kuk (2,522 m). The lake lies at 1,418 m (the park gives 1,416 m). Durmitor has been a national park since 1952 and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980, and the lake is its main checkpoint and busiest zone. The lakes of Durmitor hold only introduced fish: here brown trout, rainbow trout and Arctic char.

Walking round the lake and beyond

The lakeside path is the park's educational trail: 3.5 to 3.6 km, flat, about an hour at an easy pace. A reading forest with deckchairs stands near the visitor centre at the start. Longer walks branch off it:

• Tri jezera (Three lakes) loop from Black Lake: 8.93 km, 172 m of climbing, graded easy.
• Barno jezero, Zminje jezero and back to Black Lake: the park's short forest loop.
• Black Lake to Stari katun (Lokvice) and the Ledena pećina ice cave: the route towards the central peaks. The Lokvice shelter at 1,800 m sleeps up to 20 people and is open all year.
• Žabljak, Lokvice and Bobotov kuk: the classic ascent of the park's highest peak starts here.
• In winter a marked snowshoe trail runs 6.7 km from the Savin kuk ski centre to the lake, about 2 hours one way. Snowshoes cost €4 a day and poles €3 a day from the park; bikes are €3 an hour or €8 a day.

The Durmitor hiking page lists the 25 marked trails of the park, about 150 km in all; the hiking hub covers the rest of Montenegro.

Boats and swimming

Wooden rowing boats and kayaks are rented from the park ranger on the shore: €10 an hour for a boat, €5 an hour to launch your own. Swimming is not organised: there are no lifeguards and no marked bathing area, but the water reaches about 20 °C in summer and people swim from the shore.

Fishing

Sport fishing is allowed from May to October on Veliko jezero only; Malo jezero is closed to fishing. A daily permit (€20) is bought from the ranger on duty, who also sells the boat hire. Fishing hours are 14:00 to 19:00, every day except Monday, with one rod and artificial lures only; the limit is four trout a day with a minimum size of 25 cm, and the park recommends catch and release. The national fishing order adds a closed season for all trout in Žabljak municipality from 1 November to 15 March, and any fish caught in a closed season goes back alive. The fishing hub covers permits on the Tara and elsewhere.

Tickets and rules

Tickets are sold at the checkpoint by the car park and online at ulaznice.nparkovi.me. Entry is free for everyone on 22 April, 21, 22 and 24 May, the second Sunday of June, 13 July, 31 July and 6 September, Durmitor Day. The park has no closing season.

Camping is allowed only at the park's designated sites (Žugića Luka, Radovan Luka, Škrka, Sušica, Šarban, Lokvice and Dobri Do), none of them at the lake; a tent pitch is €3 a day and a fire at a designated fireplace €5. Cars stay on the roads. Drones need a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency, a Civil Aviation Agency permit above 249 g and the park's approval; commercial filming costs €200 a day for films and €400 for advertisements.

Getting there

From the centre of Žabljak the lake is 2.7 km by road, about 6 minutes by car or on foot along the road past the park administration building, which houses the visitor centre and the bike and snowshoe rental. The car park at the checkpoint charges €1 an hour. Žabljak itself is 123.4 km from Podgorica, about 2 h 40 min by car via Nikšić; from Nikšić it is 73.2 km (about 1 h 40 min), from Kolašin 86.2 km (about 1 h 45 min), from Plužine 49.1 km (about 1 h) and from Šavnik 26.5 km (about 30 minutes), without traffic or snow. Buses run to Žabljak from Podgorica (about 2 h 20), Nikšić (about 1 h 20), Pljevlja (about 1 h 10) and Mojkovac (about 1 h 25), with tickets online at busticket4.me; there is no railway.

When to visit

July to mid-September is the busiest period in the park, and the lake and the Tara are its busiest zones. Fishing runs from May to October. In winter the lake freezes, the snowshoe trail from Savin kuk is marked and the ski centre is about 5 km from town.

Nearby

Zminje jezero is a short forest walk above the lake, with its own checkpoint, and Vražje jezero lies on the open plateau 12 km from Žabljak on the old Nikšić road. The Sedlo pass, the start of the Sedlo-Zeleni vir route to Bobotov kuk, is 14.3 km from Žabljak. The Black Lake viewpoint on the Savin kuk side looks down on both basins. On the far side of Žabljak the Tara canyon has the Ćurevac viewpoint at 1,625 m and the Đurđevića Tara bridge. Other lakes are on the lakes hub.

Questions

Is there an entrance fee?

Yes, €5 per person per day for the park, free under 15 and half price for groups of 20 or more. Boats, fishing and parking are extra.

How long is the walk around the lake?

3.5 to 3.6 km on a flat path, about an hour.

Can you swim in Black Lake?

Yes; the water reaches about 20 °C in summer. There are no lifeguards or marked bathing areas.

Can you fish without a permit?

No. A daily permit (€20) from the ranger is required, May to October, on the large lake only, from 14:00 to 19:00 and not on Mondays.

Is the lake open in winter?

Yes. The park has no closing season, the lake freezes, and the 6.7 km snowshoe trail from Savin kuk is marked.