N°889. Sveti Jure

anciennement - oldly Dom Vosac

Biokovo Road

1762m

Biokovo road

Biokovo road was built in 1965 from the Staza (879m) pass to the summit of Sv.Jure (1762m), highest peak of the mountain with purpose to access TV building and tower. Road is highest in Croatia and takes you from Makarska (0m) to summit (1762m) in 31km. Entrance is around 4€ during the day while during night is free. It is very attractive with fantastic views on Biokovo karst and sea & islands below, highly recommended trip. Anyway climbing Biokovo on foot is far greater experience so I would recommend this only to those in bad shape which can’t surmount tough ascents.

From gas station near the NW entrance to Makarska it is 3km to crossing where signs will point left towards Vrgorac. Road gradually ascends cutting along green terraces below Biokovo wall, passing through Gornji Tucepi< Srida Sela villages. After 7km is the junction where is left towards Sv.Jure, here is the entrance of Biokovo road and toll house with souvenirs and maps. Road now ascends more steeply, first through nice pine forest, than it narrows after reaching very steep slopes below Staza pass. Here road is quite dizzy with cliffs above and green pine carpet and blue sea below. 5km from the junction it reaches Staza pass where is a restaurant and nice view point. Beyond the pass macadam road continues over inner Biokovo towards continental part behind mountain while Biokovo road turns left and continues to ascend steeply. After around 3-4km is very exciting section with amazing view where road is cut into the seaboard side of the mountain which falls some 1200m towards the sea, almost perpendicularly with scree and cliffs! Just beyond this section road enters inner Biokovo which it won’t leave in next 10km. It is a depression between seaboard and continental chains of peaks and road gradually ascends. Terrain is mostly rocky and looks like rocky desert with very little greenery coming from some grass and rare trees. But on some spots road passes through nice basins with green meadows on their bottoms. 10km from Staza pass is a junction towards Vosac hut (500m). From the hut it is only 15mins to Vosac (1422m) peak. Don’t miss to climb this stunning viewpoint from which is unbelievable view from bird’s perspective down on Makarska town and further on sea and islands of Brac & Hvar and cliffs of Biokovo. Behind the junction road ascends more steeply occasionally going through beech groves. After 3km it cuts steep slopes of Troglav (1659m), second highest peak of Biokovo with views towards east and continent. In front is huge Sv.Jure with tall TV tower on the summit. Road passes just by Sv.Jure refuge and in 5 sharp 180° bends ascends till the summit, 6km from Vosac junction. This last section is very exciting because road is cut into the steep slopes with fantastic views. In front of the entrance to TV compound is small parking where quite a jam I probable in summer. It is better to leave a car by the road near the refuge and walk to the summit via road or mountain path (30mins). This way you can enjoy panoramas longer and better.

MAP - CARTE

 

 

 

 

Appreciation from/d'Etienne Mayeur (travel/voyage in/en 2006)

la description correspond bien à celle reçue dans le bulletin Big : tout à fait irrégulier, du plat, du 10%, de la descente (un peu), très aride et très belle vue sur la ville et les îles : A garder !! route très étroite et difficile pour les voitures suiveuses de se croiser (1 heure de voiture pur redescendre jusqu'à l'entrée du parc). Parking en haut : minuscule

 

The description here up is very good and is similar to the reality. Very regular, flat areas, 10%, downhills sometimes, very wet and very beautiful landscapes on the town and the isles. To keep absolutely ! Very narrow and difficult road for the accompanying cars (1 hour with the car to ride the downhill until the entrance of the park). Very small car-park on the top.