Uskoci: Hiking Routes and the History of Its Name

You can use specific route descriptions and a historical interpretation of the place name to help plan your trip to Uskoci. When choosing a destination, you can first consider whether route classification, the landscape along the route, or a cultural connection matters most to you. The wider destination of Žabljak offers further themes related to nature and cultural heritage.

The place name and local route information

The name Uskoci is associated with people who came from Sandžak and fled Ottoman rule. Alongside the specific routes, this historical interpretation offers a cultural perspective on the place name.

The 2026 municipal programme lists the local Poljana–Gornji Uskoci road as 4.0 kilometres long.

A route record uploaded in 2022 classifies the Uskoci–Žabljak route as moderate and identifies it as a one-way route. Crno jezero is listed as a waypoint. The one-way classification gives you a specific point of reference for planning your hike.

The Žabljak–Ninkovići–Podgora–Uskoci–Palež–Žabljak route passes over meadows, through forests and by partly abandoned villages. Unlike the classification of the Uskoci–Žabljak route, the focus here is on the landscape and the villages along the way. If you are choosing based more on scenery than on a route classification, this difference can help guide you.

A community-uploaded description of the Uskoci hiking trail also lists a birdwatching waypoint. If you are interested in birds, this detail gives the route description a distinct nature focus. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

Nature and cultural heritage in the wider destination of Žabljak

In the wider destination of Žabljak, Durmitor National Park includes part of the municipality, as well as the Durmitor massif and the Tara, Draga and Sušica canyons. The park has 18 glacial lakes; Crno jezero is the largest and best known.

Black Lake, Crno jezero, lies 3 km southwest of Žabljak at an elevation of 1,418 m. It is Montenegro’s second-largest mountain lake and is protected by UNESCO. A rare bifurcation divides its underground outflow, with water flowing into the Tara and Piva rivers. Thus, the region’s natural features include not only the lake’s location but also its hydrological characteristics.

A constructed footpath leads from Black Lake to Zminje Lake, and several marked hiking and walking trails also start at Black Lake. Zminje Lake is in the Pitomine neighbourhood within the municipality of Žabljak. It is connected to Veliko Crno jezero, which lies 100 m lower, by the 2.6 km-long Mlinsko stream. These details offer different points of reference if you are considering lakes and hiking trails as part of your trip planning.

The cultural heritage of the wider destination of Žabljak also has a range of historical connections. Near Riblje Lake in the village of Novakovići are medieval tombstones known as stećci, which are protected by UNESCO. Žabljak’s religious heritage includes single-nave stone churches with bell towers on their façades, dating from the first half or the end of the 19th century. The examples therefore differ both in form and in historical period.

A recurring cultural event is the multidisciplinary Wild Beauty Art Festival, held every summer in Žabljak. If you would like to include the festival in your trip planning, check the current event dates.

Discover more destinations: Žabljak, Motički Gaj, Polje, Njegovuđa, Zminica

Back to the wider travel overview: Žabljak.