Green Spring and Devil's Passage (Zeleni vir & Vražji prolaz)

'Vrajži prolaz' (Devil’s passage), 'Zeleni vir' (Green spring) and the 'Muževa hiša' cave were proclaimed a special geo-morphological reserve as early as 1962, and theirarea comprises around 200 acres. The reserve is located in the area of the municipality of Skrad, at 302-649 m above sea level. The attraction of the reserve is the lush forest vegetation covering the whole landscape, thanks to which this pearl of a mountain area of Primorsko-goranska County is renowned outside the national boarders.

‘Zeleni vir’ (345 m) is as strong spring located at the bottom of a shallow cave at the foot of a 70 meters high cliff. A cliff that is very colorful and along which, like a white curtain, falls the stream and sprinkles the cave’s entrance with thousands of water drops. The source was named after the emerald-green water of the small lake whose spring in the cave cannot be seen. The waters of the lake, through a small dam, enter into an underground channel that brings the water up to the hydroelectric power plant built in 1921, which is the first hydroelectric power plant built in Gorski kotar. In the vicinity of the power plant there is a nice mountain lodge with a restaurant offering local dishes like venison, blueberry cakes and the famous Skrad strudel. In the lodge, besides the catering facility, you can also find accommodation in the nicely decorated rooms in the attic. The excursion to ‘Zeleni vir’ is best accompanied by the visit to the Devil’s passage (Vrajži prolaz).
Among the natural beauties, which are abundant in the area of Skrad, ‘Vrajži prolaz’ (Devil’s passage) is truly peculiar. It is one of the most beautiful Croatian canyons full of wild, romantic beauty. Through a narrow gorge, barely two meters wide, among rocks that are close to a hundred meters high, murmurs the mountain stream Jasle. Above the stream, on supports cut into the rock, galleries and bridges have been made for day-trip visitors. All around there are steep cliffs and below one’s feet rumbles the foamy stream. Try and imagine the feeling.
The path through the noisy elements ends at the foot of the ‘Muževa hiša’ cave where long ago the inhabitants used to hide before the Turks. An ample hallway, 200 m long, leads you into the depth of the cave, at it's end a small hall with a lake. In the cave there are a few stalagmites and stalactites, and the temperature of the water and air is a constant 8ºC. Explorers of the cave have found here the rarest example of our fauna – the olm. For an in depth exploration of the cave you should bring a torch-light.