Tara Canyon: The Good, The Bad, and the Creepy

One of the attractions we planned to visit during our time at Durmator National Park is Tara Canyon, which is one of the largest canyons in Europe.

On Thanksgiving Monday, we were initially going to try to check another longer mountain hike off our list (Durmitor Ice Cave). But, we were feeling pretty tired on the heels of two other intense hikes (Prutas and Paninica). We consulted James’s I Ching app about it: should we hike another mountain, or do something easier? We received this result:

“Small things may be done; great things should not be done… It is not well to strive upward, It is well to remain below”. The I Ching has spoken and it could not be clearer. Tara Canyon it is!

There are a couple of hiking routes along the top of the canyon. One is a very popular hike that’s about 3km round trip. The other is much less popular, 6km loop. We opted for the second option, which turned out to be a real mistake.

Early into the hike, we reached the first couple of lookout points. They were… okay. Views of the canyon were partially obstructed by the foliage but you could still see it. Ish.

Not long after that though, we began to face obstructions in the path. It gradually became clear to us that this hiking route is no longer maintained.

Initially, we tried to climb over and around the fallen trees. When this became impossible, we abandoned the path and started bushwhacking through the forest instead.

Finally, a road! But wait… this road is not part of the original trail loop. Where the F are we?

Somehow, we found ourselves wandering through the farmlands of rural Montenegro. We quickly and carefully walked alongside barbed wire fences, unsure if we were on the correct side of them or not. Before long, this intensely creepy dog found us and joined the fray. The participation of the creepy dog was not optional, as we could not get rid of it.

The creepy dog walked on ahead and led us to – I shit you not – a graveyard. Halloween season is officially here!

Thanks to google maps, we did eventually make it back to the car. As we were leaving, another car of hikers pulled up. We tried to warn them, but they continued into the forest. Some say they remain there to this day.

Anyway, we did the other Tara Canyon hike the next day and it was 1000x better.

Short and sweet, with nothing but gorgeous views the whole way along.

And this is how the Tara Canyon taught us two valuable lessons: longer hikes are not always better, and sometimes popular things are popular for a reason.

I hope those other hikers made it back okay.