Dovžanova soteska is approximately 200 meters long, a deeply incised gorge in the upper valley of the Tržiška Bistrica, about 2 km northwest of Tržič. It formed in an area where the river cuts through a belt of Permian and Carboniferous rocks, strongly fractured, uplifted, and tilted due to tectonic and metamorphic processes. Because of its narrow channel, steep walls, and high gradient, the gorge historically represented a natural obstacle on the route toward Jelendol. Crossing was only possible via a suspended wooden bridge, which was frequently damaged or completely destroyed by the torrential character of the Tržiška Bistrica. Due to its danger and dramatic appearance, locals named it the “Devil’s Bridge”.
In the upper valley, the Born family held extensive forest and hunting estates in the 19th century and significantly influenced the development of the area. Baron Julius Born commissioned in 1895 a new access route with an 80-meter tunnel carved into the left side of the gorge. The road improved access to forests and hunting grounds and later became an important connection toward Jelendol and Košuta.
The geological structure of Dovžanova soteska is extremely diverse and reveals, in a very small area, a complex history of the formation of the Karavanke Mountains. The cliffs expose alternating conglomerates, sandstones, limestones, and dolomites, with rich Paleozoic fossil deposits preserved within them. The best known are Permian fossils of crinoids, brachiopods, and bivalves, evidence of an ancient warm shallow sea. Because of these features, the area is protected as a natural monument and represents one of Slovenia’s most important geological educational sites.
The Slovenian Geological Trail runs through the gorge, guiding visitors past interpretative panels and exposed geological sections. Above the gorge, the Tržiška Bistrica flows over large rockfall blocks formed by ancient landslides from the Košuta slopes. The river cascades through a roughly 300-meter-long waterfall zone, splitting, redirecting, and forming numerous smaller rapids and falls. This section represents one of the most dynamic geomorphological landscapes in the Karavanke.