Pohorje, the forested massif overlooking Maribor, Slovenia’s second city, has established itself as one of the country’s leading MTB destinations, with a gondola-served area and a dense network of forest singletrack.
A forested massif served by gondola
From Maribor, the Pohorje gondola gives access to the massif’s plateau, from where most of the trails descend toward the valley through conifer forest typical of the region. Expect around 20 km of cumulative descending on a typical day, with 300 m of residual climbing, most of the elevation being handled by the lift. The terrain alternates groomed bike park runs with more technical forest singletrack toward Ruše and Zreče.
Getting the ride right
The area grades its trails by level, making it easy to build a progressive day starting on the more accessible tracks before venturing onto the more committing singletrack. The forest terrain, sometimes damp depending on the weather, can get slippery after rain.
When to go
May to October, the season the gondola dedicated to mountain biking is open. Summer offers the best weather conditions, with dense forest providing welcome shade on the hottest days.
Good to know
Maribor, Slovenia’s second city with a lively urban scene, offers a wide choice of accommodation, with convenient access to the Štajerska wine road for combining mountain biking with wine tourism.
