Bulgaria · Pirin · Southwestern Bulgaria

Popovo Lake

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Попово езеро

Popovo Lake is a glacial lake in the northern part of the Pirin mountains in south-western Bulgaria. It lies at the bottom of the Popovski cirque, among the peaks Sivria, Dzhano, Kralev Dvor, Momin Dvor and Dzhengal, and it is the largest and the deepest lake in Pirin. The lake and its surroundings are among the most popular places for summer tourism in Pirin National Park.

How it formed

The lake has the shape of an irregular pentagon and has a small islet. It receives water from rain, snow and two tiny springs at its southern end, and the most water arrives in late spring, when the snow melts on the surrounding peaks. The water that flows out of it forms the river Retizhe, which runs on to the Fish Popovi Lakes and drains the whole cirque.

History

The name means the Lake of the Priest, and there are two legends about its origin. According to the better-known one, a priest threw himself into the water because the Ottoman Turks had violated his daughter, and his cap surfaced and became the islet in the middle of the lake. The other legend tells of a priest who, after the Christianisation of Bulgaria, decided to climb Pirin to expel the Slavic god Perun.

Nature

The area around the lake is dotted with meadows and with mountain pine, some of it very old. Even in summer the water stays cool at the surface and is much colder in the deeper layers.

Gallery

4 photos

Photo: Красимир Косев · CC BY 3.0

Photo: kikosev · CC BY 3.0

Photo: Dido3 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

The lake sits at about 2,234 m in Pirin National Park, and is among the most popular places for summer tourism there. Its depth of 29.5 m is second in Bulgaria after Okoto.

The hike

It is usually done as a day hike from Bansko: about two hours each way, around four hours round trip with time at the lake, rated moderate, with comfortable hiking shoes needed on the upper trail. Combining it with Polezhan peak makes a day of about 12.5 km. Snow can linger on the upper trail early in the season.

When to go and how to get there

The usual window is June to September (mid-June to mid-September), and September is called the sweet spot, with fewer hikers and early autumn colours. Park near the Vihren hut early, around 7 a.m., because the lot fills later; shuttles run from Bansko in peak season. One comment says the road between the Banderitsa campsite and the Vihren hut is closed to cars during the day, so check locally.