Mountain biking can be pretty intense on standard outdoor trails, with serious drops and technical obstacles presenting serious fall risks, but the Black Hole Trail in Mežica, Slovenia, takes it to a different level.
The Black Hole Trail is completely underground, taking riders through the abandoned Mežica Mine. People have been aware of ore deposits in the area since the Romans first discovered them, and the first mining permit for the mining of lead ore in Mežica dates to 1665. Over more than three centuries of mining, over 1,000km of tunnels were dug and around 19 million tons of lead and zinc ore were removed. Then in 1988, a law passed to gradually close the mine and operations were wrapped up by 1994.
Once it was all over, crews began filling the lower sections of the mines with water. Today tunnels up to a height of 417 meters, or 1,358 feet, are totally under water, but the rest of the mine is still open. That’s where the Black Hole Trail comes in.
The Black Hole Trail is an expert only route, descending approximately 492 feet and taking 3-4 hours to complete. Those who hope to ride must have a full suspension mountain bike with at least 140mm of travel and a powerful bike light so they can see what’s ahead of them. Guides are provided for those hoping to ride it. Bookings for the route are available here.
If you want to check out these mines but aren’t an experienced mountain bike rider, there are a handful of other options. For one, the mine offers a classic mine tour by train, but you can also explore the flooded tunnels by kayak or, if you really want to be on a bike, you can enjoy a more mellow ride through the dark passages.
