Pivola (Reka) - Žigartov vrh (via Petkovo sedlo)

Access to starting point:
We leave the Štajerska motorway at the Rogoza exit, and then we follow the signs for Hoče. When we reach the old road Slovenska Bistrica - Maribor, we cross it at the traffic-light intersection, and then we drive first through Spodnje Hoče, and then also through Zgornje Hoče. The path ahead leads us past the restaurant and pizzeria Anja; when the road a little further at the inn Rečnik turns left, we notice the beginning of the marked path on the right. At the starting point, there are no organised parking spots for hikers.

Route description:
After the inn Rečnik, the mountaineering signs for Mariborska koča and Skalca waterfall direct us left onto a path that passes a nearby house and leads onto a pasture. Through the pasture, where no footpath is visible, we ascend diagonally to the right, and higher up we notice a blaze on a tree that guides us into the forest. Through the forest we ascend more steeply, bypassing Frankova kapelica a few dozen strides to the right. A little further, we reach a narrower asphalt road, which we follow to the right, and after a short ascent we carefully cross the main road. On the other side of the main road, we continue right and proceed along a second side road that leads past a few more houses; before the last house, we veer slightly left onto a path that takes us through a meadow into a strip of forest and bushes. Here, the path leads us along a hedge closer to a house; when we return to the main road, we follow it to the left, then quickly turn right onto a marked path that ascends along a one-way road. Next follows a fairly steep ascent, where we pass a few more houses; when the road splits, we continue straight onto a footpath that leads into the forest. For a few minutes, we ascend through the forest; when we leave the forest, we step back onto the main road for a few dozen strides. From the main road, we turn right at a marked junction onto a side asphalt road; when the road enters the forest, we go left onto a marked footpath, following the blazes at the junctions. Higher up, the path widens into a poorer road, along which we reach a larger structure that we bypass on the right side. By the structure, the path returns to the forest, where we again follow the blazes; when we leave the forest, we bypass another structure on the left side. A little further, we reach a macadam road, which we follow to the right, then cross the slopes toward the right. With beautiful views, the path leads us past a cross, and after the cross we gently descend to a nearby house, which we bypass on the left side. Further on, at a few smaller junctions we follow the blazes, passing individual houses until we reach a marked junction at Petkovo sedlo.
At Petkovo sedlo, we join the path from Fram, and the path splits. Along a slightly left road, the path continues toward Skalca waterfall; slightly to the right, a road leads to hotel Tisa; to the right, a path leads to a hunting hut, but we continue straight toward Mariborska koča.
We continue through a meadow between two roads, then the path enters the forest, where we follow the blazes. Higher up, we cross the main road toward hotel Bellevue once more, and a little further, we leave the forest. We continue past a cross, and when we reach the asphalt road from the marked junction, we proceed left towards Mariborska koča, arriving in a few minutes of further walking.
We bypass the hut on the left side, then continue right toward Ruška koča na Arehu.
A short ascent follows, and we reach a road on which we continue the climb. The road splits slightly higher up, and we continue slightly left (slightly right toward Log and Bistrica ob Dravi). A few minutes higher, we reach a marked path leading over Mariborski razglednik, but we turn left here and continue along a wider cart track that leads through the forest. A little further, a path branches off to the left towards hotel Zarja, but we continue straight in the direction of Ruška koča. This is followed by some diagonal ascent on the slopes of peak Sedovec, and then we descend to a small saddle, where a path from the settlement Fram joins us.
We continue straight, mainly gently ascending along a macadam road that leads us past some graves. After some time, we reach the main road towards Areh, continue briefly alongside it, and then turn slightly left onto a footpath, which quickly leads us to the church of St. Areh.
From the church, we cross a meadow and we are already at Ruška koča na Arehu.
From the hut, we continue right towards Žigartov vrh and walk to an asphalt road, where we go left, then continue along the road towards Šumik, Cojzerica and Žigartov vrh. Initially the path leads past a larger parking lot, then the road goes into the forest and gently ascends. After approximately 10 minutes of further walking, we arrive at a marked junction, where a path branches off to the left towards waterfall Šumik and Bajgot. We continue straight along a wider macadam road, from which we turn left about a minute further on, as the signs for Žigartov vrh direct us left onto a poorer forest road, along which we ascend to the nearby ski slope. We continue along the edge of the ski slope, higher up the path goes slightly left and enters the forest. We continue through the forest, where we follow the blazes, and follow such a path all the way to the peak a few minutes distant.
Starting point - Mariborska koča 2:15, Mariborska koča - Ruška koča 1:10, Ruška koča - Žigartov vrh 0:30.
The description and images refer to the conditions in 2022 and 2023.

Along the route: Petkovo sedlo (881m), Mariborska koča (1086m), Ruška koča na Arehu (1246m)

We recommend: trips from the same starting point, similar trips, summit register