Located in the core of the Pindus Mountains, Smolikas is Greece’s second-highest mountain and—I’d argue—one of its most stunning. It is renowned for its extensive forests and its so-called Dragon Lake: an idyllic alpine lake situated below its 2,637-meter-high peak. While touring the region in July 2024, it became our top priority for a hiking trip.
Smolikas’s summit and the Dragon Lake are accessible via a variety of rewarding, well-marked routes around its periphery. The shortest and most popular trail starts from Pades village in the south and passes by the mountain’s organized refuge, which offers food and accommodation. The refuge’s official website is available only in Greek. This time, coming from the north, we chose to start from the village of Agia Paraskevi (aka Kerasovo).
Having just climbed neighboring Mount Grammos, we set off in the afternoon for Smolikas. It took a bit less than two hours of driving on scenic, narrow, unused roads to Agia Paraskevi. The village’s square was livelier than I expected. The tavern and the cafes were busy, and children gamboled around. We stopped to buy some provisions and eat ice cream under a gigantic plane tree, then drove for 2 more km to the country church of Profitis Ilias (location).
That was the perfect camping ground for our pre-expedition overnight stay: a broad, flat grassy field adjoining a shaded spring with a bench. A dad-and-son pair passed by on enduro bikes and pulled over for a friendly chat. A shepherd loitered a bit nearby while his cows grazed around our tent. Then it was just us and the night.
Tired as we were from yesterday’s 22-km trek, we took our time in the morning, snoozing until just before the sun reached us and packing lazily. We locked the car, shouldered the backpacks, and hit the trail.
We followed a dirt road until we met the main trail from the village center. As we took our first break there, a large hiking group from a travel agency reached us. We proceeded together until the next spring. One of their guides spotted and lifted a legless lizard along the way. Another guide told us that they rarely meet other hikers on this trail. They were doing a same-day summit and descent on the other side, hence they left hurriedly while we chilled and plucked wild strawberries.
The trail continued through the sprawling, mesmerizing black-pine forest. It got even prettier as it mixed with firs and beeches at higher altitudes. Eventually, it opened up to a secluded little meadow where the peak became visible. There was a spring and a brook. We stopped for lunch and then completed the last leg to the lake.
With several long breaks, it took us almost five hours to cover the 8 kilometers and 1,100 meters of ascent from Profitis Ilias to the Dragon Lake. Being a Saturday, plenty of other hikers and campers were there, and more arrived after us. I had hoped there’d be running water beside the lake. But nope. I had to return to the previous spring and carry up a pouch. We pitched our tent by the shore and spent the afternoon delighting in the tranquility.
Surrounded by gracious green and tall mulleins, reed clusters dotting its sky-blue color, the lake was nothing short of a dreamscape. Swimming in it would be bliss, but it is unfortunately prohibited for the benefit of conserving the rare alpine newts that inhabit it. The view in all directions was jaw-dropping, and the lofty summit above filled us with awe for Mother Nature. We saw no dragon, but the next best thing: we heard the gentle croaks of the newts throughout the night.
We got up with the first twilight and set off for the summit. Without backpacks, the remaining 400 meters were a piece of cake. While the sun was rising behind the mountain, we ascended in exactly one hour and met the sunlight on the peak. An impressive pyramid shadow stretched far to the west. The rugged Mount Tymfi to the south and the vast expansion of surrounding wilderness were bathed in morning light. We took it all in and headed back down to the tent in 40 minutes.
We had breakfast and packed in the mild morning warmth, then zipped down to the car in 2 hours and 20 minutes and began the long return trip home to Euboea, with a first stop at the unexpectedly vivid village of Samarina.
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