Sunny Day in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Take the E-Trail. To Plitvice.

Today was the day to hike the trails around the waterfalls and lakes of Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park. It was much much more enjoyable than my prior visit to Plitvice five years ago, Today is was beautiful and sunny, although a bit nippy in the early morning. This was a major improvement from 2014, when the park was flooded out and it was raining, pouring buckets at the very end of the trek.

We got up early because we had to cross the bridge (the one that was out the day before) by 8:00 a.m. The bridge was to be closed at that hour, not to re-open until 6:00 p.m. So good-bye, Doviđenja, to the wonderful, awesome, beyond-the-call-of-duty awesome House By The River guest house.

We got to the bridge at 7:56 a.m., just as they were about to close the bridge for the day.

They actually put down the wooden plank bridge back down for us to get across before closing down the river crossing for another day.  This concludes our adventure getting into, and out of, Plitvica Selo, or Plitvice Village. I'd stay there again if I pass through Plitvice a third time.

Soon we were at the entrance to Plitvice Lakes National Park, ready to hike Trail E.

Hiked down to the first of many lakes that make up the Plitvice Lakes complex of lakes:

The water is amazing. Just look at the reflection of these trees in the water.

We had to take a ferry across this particular lake in order to get to the Trail E trailhead. We were afraid that we were taking a boat cruise.

Smoke on the water:

Well, at least early morning fog. The view from the boat:

A better shot at the ferry:

Continuing with the hike on Trail E, the two to three hour hiking trail.

Which we figured would be the appropriate amount.

It got warmer quickly when the sun came out.

I would assume from this next pic that the periodic flooding the lakes experience is the root cause of this root exposure.

More waterfalls.

The place is lousy with waterfalls.

In the good way.

Everyone is taking lot of pictures.

But there is so much to see and photograph. In that order.

The selfie sticks were out, but some of us prefer to selfie the low-tech way.

Holding the camera at arm's length.

More waterfalls:

The dog in the picture below, her name is Rain, was amazing. I have never before in my life seen a dog pose so still, for so long, to have his or her picture taken.

Rain the Dog was a natural.

Anyway, more lakes with more reflected tree life:

Sun on the lake:

Falls color and the lake:

Lake, reflection, fall colors:

Steep downhill channel. Not quite a waterfall.

I recognized this point from five years ago. We were here. But we walked here from the trail on the left that was closed now. This also is the spot where the deluge of rain (the wet kind, not the aforementioned dog) really began in earnest last time.

 I definitely remembered this river under the staircase walkway:

I also remember that there was significantly more water flowing over this waterfall five years ago:

Of course there would be more water flowing over the waterfalls when (a) it is raining cats and dogs both and (b) the whole park is flooded out. More water = more water flow, apparently. Who knew?

Fast-flowing steep downhill channel:

And we reach the end of the Plitvice Lakes two and one-half hour hike on Trail E.

Time for lunch:

We ate a restaurant in Slunj, Croatia. I had the pumpkin cream soup and a meat-and-cheese platter.

I've been eating lots of meats and cheeses this trip. Because it's available.

Laku noć. And doviđenja to and from Lukovdol. My third visit was not nearly as hostile as visits one and two. But that's another story for another time. Off to Slovenia for the next three nights.