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Zminje jezero

Zminje jezero

A small glacial lake in dense spruce forest at about 1,520 m in Durmitor National Park, south-west of Black Lake near the village of Bosača. Reached on foot from Black Lake or on foot or by bike from Žabljak; Barno jezero is a few minutes away.

Glacial Lake · 1,520 m · Žabljak

Photo: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0

Zminje jezero ("Snake Lake") is a small glacial lake in dense spruce forest in Durmitor National Park, south-west of Black Lake near the village of Bosača, at about 1,520 m. No road reaches it: the walk starts at Black Lake, 3 km from Žabljak, or at Ivan do on the Žabljak side, on foot or by bike. Barno jezero, a shallow marshy lake, is a few minutes further on, and the park's recommended loop takes in all three.

The lake

The water is greenish and the shore is closed in by spruce, the tree that rings Black, Zminje and Barno lakes. The lake is not in the official table of natural lakes, so it has no official area or depth. Durmitor's lakes hold only introduced fish, brown trout and Arctic char among them.

This corner of the park is among its most strictly protected. Barno jezero is a special nature reserve (about 5 ha in the park's reserve table, about 35 ha on its zoning map), and the virgin fir and spruce forest in the Mlinski potok basin, on the route from Žabljak, is another, of about 10 ha. Strict protection covers about 3,400 ha, around 11 per cent of the park. Camping is allowed only at the park's designated sites, and none of them is at these lakes.

Reeds and floating water-lily leaves covering the shallow edge of Zminje jezero
Reeds and water lilies at the edge of the lakePhoto: Emil Joanović, CC BY-SA 3.0

Walks

  • From Black Lake by footpath; the park's recommended loop links Barno jezero, Zminje jezero and Black Lake.
  • From Žabljak via Ivan do and Mlinski potok, on foot or by bike.
  • The "Tri jezera" (three lakes) loop from Black Lake, 8.93 km with 172 m of climbing and graded easy, takes in the same forest.
Zminje jezero ringed by tall spruce forest under a summer sky with white clouds
Zminje jezero in the spruce forest, July 2025Photo: Alexkom000, CC BY 4.0

Black Lake itself has a 3.5 km shore path, and the trail to Lokvice and the Ice Cave starts there too. The Durmitor hiking page and the hiking hub list the longer routes. The park's fishing rules name only Black Lake and the Tara, so there is no fishing at Zminje jezero.

Tickets and getting there

Black Lake is 3 km from the centre of Žabljak, with a car park at the checkpoint (€1 an hour). The Durmitor ticket is €5 per person per day and free under 15; an annual ticket for all five national parks costs €13.50, and tickets are also sold online. The park checks tickets at Black Lake, at Ivan do and at a checkpoint at Zminje jezero itself, so keep yours with you. Bikes are rented at the park's visitor centre in Žabljak for €3 an hour or €8 a day. The park is busiest from July to mid-September, and Black Lake is one of its busiest zones. Žabljak is 122 km from Podgorica via Nikšić.

Nearby

Black Lake, with rowing boats (€10 an hour) and the shore path, is the natural start. Vražje jezero is on the plateau 12 km from Žabljak in the other direction, and the Savin kuk ski centre is 5 km from town. Other lakes are on the lakes hub; the park page has the fees and rules in full.

Questions

How far is Zminje jezero from Black Lake?

A footpath, with Barno jezero a few minutes beyond; the "Tri jezera" loop that takes in all three lakes is 8.93 km in total.

Can you drive there?

No. Access is on foot or by bike only, from Black Lake or from Žabljak via Ivan do.

Do you need a ticket?

Yes, the Durmitor ticket: €5 per person per day, free under 15. There is a checkpoint at the lake.

Activities

  • Hiking

Things to do

  • Forest loop

    Barno jezero, Zminje jezero and back to Black Lake, the park's recommended short walk.

  • From Žabljak by bike

    Via Ivan do and Mlinski potok.

On these trips

How we check facts

Sources

TO Žabljak, Zminje jezero · TO Žabljak, Black Lake · TO Žabljak, Durmitor lakes · TO Žabljak, Tri jezera trail · JPNPCG, Durmitor plants (spruce around the lakes) · JPNPCG, Durmitor active holidays (trails, fishing) · JPNPCG, Durmitor price list · JPNPCG, Management Plan NP Durmitor 2026-2030 (PDF, reserves and checkpoints) · MONSTAT, Statistical Yearbook 2025, table 1-6 Natural lakes (lake not listed) · National Tourism Organisation, Skiing (road distance Podgorica-Žabljak) · JPNPCG, online tickets (annual ticket, exemptions)

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