Koča na Šumiku - Črno jezero on Pohorje

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana - Maribor highway, take the exit Slovenska Bistrica - south, then follow the signs for Šmartno na Pohorju, and from there drive to the settlement Smrečno. Further on, drive on forest roads on Pohorje, where we drive alongside Bistrica. Higher up, we join the road that leads past Ruška koča na Pohorju. Here we go left towards Osankarica, and at the next crossroad slightly right in the direction of the estate Šumik (slightly left Osankarica). When we arrive at the mentioned estate, we park on the macadam parking lot in front of the estate.
B) Leave the Štajerska highway at the exit for Slivnica and Rogoza, then follow the signs for Pohorje and Areh. The path ahead leads through Spodnje and Zgornje Hoče, Slivniško Pohorje, and after the settlements follow the signs for Areh. From Areh follow the signs for Cojzerica and Šumik and Osankarica. After a few kilometers, go slightly right in the direction of the estate Šumik (slightly left Osankarica). When we arrive at the mentioned estate, we park on the macadam parking lot in front of the estate.
C) Drive to Ruše, then follow the road towards Fala. After crossing Lobnica, go left in the direction of Smolnik and Šumik, then follow the signs for the estate Šumik, where we park on the parking lot in front of the forestry hut Gozdarska koča na Šumiku.

Path description:
From the starting point, head onto the marked trail towards Osankarica and Koča na Klopnem vrhu (a somewhat shorter unmarked path runs along the road), where we ascend back to the road through a strip of forest. Upon reaching the road, continue straight ahead (right to Ruše), at the nearby road fork take the slightly left road (slightly right to Klopni vrh), along which we soon arrive at a marked junction.
From the junction, continue left downhill (straight to Koča na Pesku and Tiho jezero, right to Klopni vrh) and descend on a moderately steep path back to the road, where we join the somewhat shorter path that follows the road. Cross the road, and a bit lower cross Lobnica too, after which we return to the road. Continue left along the road, passing the junction of the path towards Ruše - Holcarska pot ob Lobnici, which passes both Šumik waterfalls, and walk along the road to the next nearby marked junction, where we go right towards Črno jezero, sv. Trije kralji and Osankarica (straight to Ruška koča na Arehu), ascending through the forest. This is followed by crossing a stream, and slightly higher the crossing of the road Areh - Osankarica. Continue ascending through the forest, following the blazes at junctions. Higher up, the path levels out and briefly continues through sections of sparse forest, then moderately ascends through the forest again.
Beyond the indistinct summit Trije studenci, the path gently descends to a marked junction, where the path splits.
Continue right towards Osankarica and Črno jezero (straight to sv. Trije kralji) and gently to moderately descend, following the blazes. When the descent ends, arrive at a junction near Črno jezero.
Continue straight (left to Oplotnica - path past Kos) and reach the lake in a few steps.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in April and June 2022.