Mreznica River

The Mreznica runs about sixty kilometres from the Lika border down to Karlovac, and along the way it drops over something in the order of ninety travertine barriers - the same process that builds the terraces at Plitvice, where dissolved calcium carbonate deposits on moss and algae and slowly grows a dam. The result is a chain of falls with deep green pools between them, and because the river is warm by Croatian standards in summer it is swum, kayaked and jumped into all along its length. Most access is informal, through villages and off bridges, and much of the bank is private.

What you actually see

• Around ninety travertine falls - barriers grown by the water itself.
• Deep green pools between them - the swimming the river is used for.
• The same process as Plitvice - carbonate deposited on moss and algae.
• Informal access points - bridges and villages along the course.

When to go

June to September, when the water is warm enough. A full day.

Honest expectations

Much of the bank is private and access is informal rather than organised - respecting that matters. Jumping from the barriers injures people every summer. There are no lifeguards. Parking is roadside and limited.

Nearby

Karlovac is downstream; the Korana runs parallel to the east.