Jasenak

Jasenak is a low hill in the Plaščanska Valley, in the Saborsko municipality, Karlovac County, rising just above the village of Begovac. The summit reaches roughly 1023 metres above sea level, overlooking a valley threaded by the D42 state road that runs from Ogulin to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The whole area sits at the meeting point of Gorski Kotar, Lika and Kordun, wrapped in classic karst scenery — polje fields, caves and seasonal lakes.

Where is Jasenak and how do you get there?

Begovac is one of four settlements in the Saborsko municipality, alongside Saborsko itself, Lička Jesenica and Blata, and sits directly on the D42, the road that runs the length of the Plaščanska Valley (the full Ogulin–Plitvice stretch covers about 70 km). Driving south from Ogulin, you pass through Oštarije, Josipdol and Plaški before reaching Blata and Begovac. It makes a convenient stopover — close to Plitvice on one side and to the caves and old-town charm of Ogulin on the other. Jasenak itself rises above Begovac's houses on forested, karst-covered slopes typical of the Mala Kapela foothills.

What is there to see nearby?

The standout natural feature close by is Begovac Lake, also known as Blaćansko Lake, near the village of Blata and the hamlet of Vrcelji. It's a rare estavelle-type karst lake — a phenomenon documented in only a few dozen places worldwide — which fills with groundwater during the wet season and empties again once water levels drop and the cave that feeds it starts acting as a sinkhole instead of a spring. Watching a meadow turn into open water, and then back into a meadow a few months later, is one of the more striking karst spectacles in this part of Croatia.

A short drive away lies Saborsko, a village that held out under siege for a hundred days during the 1991–1995 Croatian War of Independence before falling in November 1991 and being largely destroyed; today it has a rebuilt church and memorials to those who died. The wider Plaščanska Valley is known for old-growth forest, clean springs and streams, karst caves and sinkholes, and the Saborsko municipality has been leaning into nature tourism thanks to its proximity to Plitvice. The valley is also part of the Via Dinarica "Plaščanska dolina" cycling route, popular with riders crossing this stretch of northern Lika.

When is the best time to visit?

Begovac Lake is at its fullest in spring or right after autumn rains, when groundwater levels are high; by summer, in the dry months, it typically shrinks or disappears altogether. For walks around the hills near Jasenak and a visit to Saborsko, spring, early summer and early autumn bring the most stable weather in this mountainous stretch of Croatia, with the forests and meadows at their best.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jasenak? It's a hill roughly 1023 metres high in the Plaščanska Valley, in the Saborsko municipality, Karlovac County, right above the village of Begovac.

How do you get to Begovac? The easiest route is the D42 state road linking Ogulin with Plitvice Lakes, passing through Plaški, Blata and Begovac — the full Ogulin–Plitvice drive is about 70 km.

What is Begovac Lake? It's a periodic karst lake of the estavelle type: it fills with water during the wet season and dries up in summer, once the cave feeding it starts draining instead.

Is it worth combining with a trip to Plitvice Lakes? Yes — Begovac sits right on the D42 route to Plitvice Lakes National Park, making it a natural stop on the way to the lakes.