Seliški vrh

Seliški vrh is the highest peak of the Mala Kapela mountain range and the tallest summit in the hills surrounding Plitvice Lakes National Park, rising to 1,279 metres above sea level in Croatia's Lika-Senj County. It stands only a few kilometres from the village of Donji Babin Potok, part of the Municipality of Vrhovine, making it a natural side trip for anyone staying in this stretch of the Lika region.

Where does the peak's name come from?

Seliški vrh takes its name from the hamlet of Selište (also known as Borić Selište), which sits at the mountain's foot. This is a common naming pattern across Lika: peaks and ridges were traditionally named after the nearest settlement, a practice that helped shepherds and villagers orient themselves in a landscape with few other fixed markers.

How do you get to Seliški vrh?

The village of Donji Babin Potok makes the most practical starting point, sitting just a handful of kilometres from the summit as the crow flies. Mala Kapela is a rugged, sparsely populated range, so the sensible approach is to drive to the nearest settlement and continue on foot or along local forest tracks. The nearby locality of Varatova Draga also serves as a useful reference point when planning a route.

What will you see up there?

Mala Kapela, part of the Dinaric Alps, is built mainly from Mesozoic carbonate rock, chiefly dolomite. This geology produces a classic karst landscape of steep gorges and rocky ridges. The slopes are covered in extensive pine forest, and pockets of old-growth, primeval woodland still survive in places — increasingly rare anywhere in Europe. Like the neighbouring Velika Kapela range, the area is known for rich plant and animal life, which makes it rewarding territory for nature lovers and landscape photographers alike.

Thanks to its elevation within the ring of mountains around Plitvice, the ridgelines near Seliški vrh open up views over the surrounding hills and valleys of Lika. Despite sitting close to one of Croatia's most visited national parks, this part of the range remains one of the quieter corners of the country's mountain hinterland.

When is the best time to visit?

Late spring through early autumn (May to October) is the best window, when forest tracks are passable and temperatures suit longer hikes. In winter, Mala Kapela's high-altitude climate turns harsh, with heavy snowfall that makes the more remote parts of the massif difficult to reach.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Seliški vrh? The peak reaches 1,279 metres above sea level, making it the highest point of the Mala Kapela range in this part of Lika.

How far is Seliški vrh from Donji Babin Potok? Roughly 5 kilometres in a straight line, which makes the village a convenient base for a visit.

Are there marked trails nearby? The area is mountainous and thinly populated, so it's worth planning a route in advance using maps of the local forest roads — tourist infrastructure here is more modest than directly around the Plitvice lakes themselves.

What else is worth seeing besides the summit? The hamlet of Borića Selište and the locality of Varatova Draga lie close by, and the whole of Mala Kapela stands out for its karst terrain, dolomite bedrock, and surviving patches of primeval forest.