Križe - Tolsti vrh (easier path over Kriška gora)

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Naklo, and then we continue driving in the direction towards settlements Žeje, Spodnje and Zgornje Duplje to the settlement Retnje, where we turn right towards the settlement Križe. Further, we drive past NOB monument, sports field Križe to the parking lot by the cemetery and a parish church of Holy Cross.
B) From highway Jesenice - Ljubljana we go to the exit Podbrezje, and then we continue driving towards Ljubelj and Tržič. Before Petrol gas station in Bistrica pri Tržiču we turn right and then we drive in Tržič. When the road descends into the valley, we continue sharply right in the direction of Pristava and Križe, and further we drive on the main road which leads towards Zgornje and Spodnje Duplje, mentioned main road we leave at settlement Retnje, where we continue left in the direction of the settlement Križe and Golnik. Further, we drive past NOB monument, sports field Križe to the parking lot by the cemetery and a parish church of Holy Cross.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road towards the east, where the path leads at first past the church, and then also past the post office, inn Pr Benk and bakery to a crossroad at the chapel, where we continue left in the direction of Pristava. The road then leads us also past the store Tušek market Markič, and then we already notice first signposts for Gozd, Kriška gora and Storžič, which lead right on street Planinska pot. At crossroads through the settlement we follow the blazes, and then the road loses an asphalt covering and passes into the forest. Few minutes higher, at the crossroad of the macadam roads we continue right, and then we gradually get out of the forest, from where a nice view opens up towards Gorenjska. After the panoramic part, the road becomes asphalted and it brings us to the spot, where we join the road which leads towards Gozd. We follow the road to the left, and there we walk only for a short time because blazes lead right on a cart track.
We leave the road at smaller information board, which informs us about openness of the cottage Zavetišče v Gozdu. From the cart track, we continue immediately 2 times left, so that we continue the ascent on a forest path, and it soon joins to other cart track, on which we in few minutes return on an asphalt road. Few strides we walk on the road, after that from the left joins the path from Tržič, and right continues a footpath or cart track towards the cottage Zavetišče v Gozdu (straight on the road Koča na Kriški gori - steep path).
We continue on the right path (cart track), which at first runs parallel with the road and further leads past a trough with water. A little further, we leave the cart track, because blazes lead left on for some time a little steeper path, which soon returns on a cart track, and then on an asphalt road. We follow the road to the right, and we walk there for few minutes, or all the way to the spot, when on the right side we notice a large parking lot and next to it cottage Zavetišče v Gozdu.
From the cottage, we walk to the near church, and then we come at the marked crossing, where from the right side joins the path from Golnik. We continue left upwards on an increasingly bad road which in few minutes brings us to a crossing. Here we go on the left path (right Tolsti vrh, Mala and Velika Poljana and Storžič), which goes past the water catchment and continues on a cart track. Cart track quickly passes into the forest and in a moderate ascent brings us to a smaller crossing, where we continue right in the direction of Kriška gora (straight unmarked path towards Koča na Kriški gori) on a little more rough cart track which higher changes into relatively steep footpath. Further, we are ascending on a well-settled path, by which we notice numerous benches and by them names of benches. Higher, the path brings us to a grazing fence and only a little higher it turns to the left, where it is then ascending diagonally. After few minutes of a diagonal ascent, we step out of the forest, where in front of us we already notice a mountain hut Koča na Kriški gori, to which we have only few 10 strides of easy walking.
From the mountain hut Koča na Kriški gori we return few meters back, and then we continue on a path towards Tolsti vrh. The path ahead starts gently ascending over a grassy slope. After three minutes of walking almost unnoticeably path in Grahovše branches off to the left, and we continue on a well-beaten mountain path which continues by the main ridge of Kriška gora. Further, the path few times avoids the ridge on the right side, and a panoramic path mostly leads on grassy slopes. A little further, the path returns on the ridge, which we reach right on distinct notch, where pathless path branches off left downwards in Grahovše.
The path ahead leads us over a grazing fence, and then on the right side bypasses Vrata (1591 meters). Higher, the path returns on or by ridge and is for some time only gently ascending. After few minutes of crossing, we get to the spot, where the path starts ascending steeply towards the secondary peak of Tolsti vrh. From the secondary peak a nice view opens up on all sides, and the path ahead leads on for a short time narrower ridge. Next follows some descent through the forest and then the path again starts ascending. Higher the forest gets thinner, and an increasingly panoramic path brings us on Tolsti vrh.
Križe - Zavetišče v Gozdu 1:15, Zavetišče v Gozdu - Koča na Kriški gori 1:30, Koča na Kriški gori - Tolsti vrh 1:00.

On the way: Zavetišče v Gozdu mountain hut (891m), Koča na Kriški gori mountain hut (1471m)