Črni Vrh
This climb is part of Notranjska region. The climb to Črni Vrh in Polhograjsko hribovje challenges cyclists with steep gradients, forested roads, and cultural echoes. Its summit offers solitude, tradition, and wide views across central Slovenia’s rolling hills.Average gradient: 9.2%
Elevation difference: 510m
You start at 474.2m and finish at 985.0m
Athletes climbed: 386 View on Strava
Download GPX
Črni Vrh in the Polhograjsko Hribovje – A Quiet Summit Above Ljubljana
The climb to Črni Vrh, one of the most recognizable high points of the Polhograjsko hribovje, is a rewarding challenge that combines demanding gradients with remarkable cultural and natural context. Rising from valleys near Polhov Gradec or Smolnik, the road winds through a landscape where farmsteads, forests, and pastures intermingle, offering a microcosm of central Slovenia’s countryside. The gradients are far from easy—short ramps often spike to 12% or more, testing the legs while rewarding persistence. Unlike long Alpine ascents, the charm of Črni Vrh lies in its variability: steep stretches blend with easier passages, giving cyclists both moments of struggle and relief.
Črni Vrh – The Rural Heart of the Polhograjsko Hills
The climb carries a sense of history. This area has long been a rural backbone of life around Ljubljana. Farmers once carried goods and produce along these same slopes, linking remote hamlets with the markets in the capital. Small churches and chapels dot the hillsides, silent witnesses to centuries of human presence. Nature plays an equally central role. The road climbs through dense beech forests and sunlit meadows, where, in spring and summer, wildflowers color the hillsides. Occasional openings reward riders with views of the Ljubljana Basin, Polhov Gradec Dolomites, and even the Kamnik–Savinja Alps in the distance. The stillness, broken only by the crunch of tires and birdsong, makes this climb deeply immersive. At the summit, a feeling of remoteness takes over. Črni Vrh, though close to the city, feels worlds away. For cyclists, it represents not only a physical test but also an escape—into landscapes where tradition, solitude, and quiet beauty remain intact.
