Knyazhevo Tram Stop – Kopitoto Area

The first part of the route entirely follows the trail from Knyazhevo to Zlatnite Mostove, which passes through the Knyazhevo Forest. Shortly before the first small bridge along the path, we divert to the right and head uphill along the fence of the residential building, which will be on our right.

Once we pass the fence, we will emerge onto the old Belovodski road. Cross it and continue uphill through the forest until reaching the new Belovodski road.

Here, we have two options:

• Turn right toward the water fountain, continue past it, turn left following the blue markings of the low-mountain ring trail, and then turn right onto the path beneath the chairlift. This is a good idea during the summer months, as it gets incredibly hot on the way up and dehydration is a real danger.
• Head straight onto the steep path that climbs sharply uphill—you will see it directly ahead of you on the opposite side of the asphalt road.

From this point up to Kopitoto, we will be hiking a trail that varies from very steep to extremely steep. In some places, the slope is so severe that it is hard to maintain traction on the loose soil with shoes alone, forcing us to scramble using our hands. When we reach the first lift tower, the incline eases significantly, giving us a chance to catch our breath before the steep terrain returns. At the second lift tower, we will find a first aid kit and a large plaque listing the 8,000-meter peaks climbed by Boyan Petrov. If we are already on the verge of overheating - which is easy to do on this trail - the cool concrete foundations of these towers make an excellent bench to sit on and cool off. Afterwards, the trail makes a few switchbacks to ease the ascent, then opens up into a small, rocky clearing crossed by two large metal tracks housing the lift's electrical cables. We need to step over these, continue up the rocks for a bit, and turn right into the trees. The trail flattens out briefly there, but it is too early to celebrate. There is a climb just before the third tower, followed by a small flat meadow above it where yellow irises bloom in the spring, and then comes the final steep stretch before Kopitoto.