The Lokvar lake is an artificial lake which was constructed in 1954 when a dam was built on the Lokvarka river. Thus, the once green valley with a settlement and three sawmills became covered in a greenish blue artificial lake with a depth of 40 metres. A part of the original Louisiana road route from Mrzla Vodica to Lokve was flooded along with the valley, leaving behind only the stone Emperor’s Bridge, which emerges above the water’s surface in low water conditions. The families of the settlement of Srednji Jarak, which had been living there since the construction of the Louisiana road in 1805, left forever.

Although Lokvar is an artificial lake, it almost perfectly blends in the natural environment boasting gorgeous Gorski Kotar coniferous forests, making it a popular tourist attraction today, as well as the favourite spot of professional and recreational athletes alike. The first Underwater Orienteering World Championship was held on the Lokvar lake, in addition to numerous international rowing regattas, and since 1978, the lake has hosted the traditional gathering of mountaineers, cyclists and other nature enthusiasts known as POJ (Walk around the Lake) and BOJ (Cycle around the Lake). If you would like to get to know the Lokvar lake first hand, you can take a walk or ride a bicycle around it, as it is surrounded by a 17-kilometre forest trail. Those who don’t want to make the full circle around the lake can opt for a ride on the Čača raft, which takes visitors from one area of the lake (in Lokve) to another (in Mrzla Vodica) and back.

The Lokvar lake is also a favourite spot of anglers, as its waters are home to common chub, common carp, crucian carp, trout and other species of fish. Observant anglers have noted that the world’s largest river trout, weighing an impressive 25.40 kilogrammes, was caught right at the Lokvar lake.
Together with the Bajer and Lepenica lakes, the Lokvar lake forms the Vinodol Hydro Power System, which – due to a great difference in available water head (around 650 metres) – yields one of the highest water heads among the hydro power plants in Europe.