There are several other toponyms on the mountain using the Kajkavian dialect term medved 'bear' (compare Standard Croatian: medvjed), most notably Medvedgrad, a medieval castle on its southwestern edges.

Sljeme ([sʎême]; Kajkavian: Sleme) means summit, and it is a name often used metonymically to refer to the entire mountain.

But there are a few entirely in Middle Triassic dolomite-limestone (i.e. Družanica I), or with entrances in that layer (i.e. Bijele sige, Zakičnica I).

[6] Exceptionally old is the Carboniferous layer of dolomite in which Velika peć na Rogu,[7] Medvednica's "most imposing entrance", formed.

While deepest cave from entrance to lowest point is Velebitaška jama[10] at 45 m,[11] the highest vertical elevation difference within a cave is in Veternica[12] at 170 m.[13]: 215 Near the ridge there is a 12 m tall cliff of green slate called Šumarev grob,[a] from which one of the springs of the Bliznec flows.

Medvednica, in comparison to the surrounding lowland area, behaves as an "island" in its climate characteristics, with more precipitation, lower temperatures, and higher duration and quantity of snow cover.

This difference manifests itself during the colder period of the year, from October to March, when more fog occurs in Zagreb.

[17] The relative air humidity is largest during the cold part of the year, and generally is larger on stations with higher altitude because of lower temperatures, but luxuriant vegetation.

On all stations, the warm part of the year (from April to September) has the most thunderstorm days; these are often connected to showers.

Rarer associations include Luzulo luzuloidi-Quercetum, Hieracio racemosi-Quercetum, Tilio-Taxetum, Blechno-Fagetum, Chrysanthemo acrophylli-Aceretum pseudoplatani, Ostryo-Quercetum pubescentis, and Carici brizoides-Alnetum glutinosae.

[20] Being adjacent to a capital city, Medvednica is subject to a high rate of colonization by invasive species, including Robinia pseudoacacia.

The center has hosted several FIS World Cup slalom skiing races, known as the Snow Queen Trophy.

The cable car had run from 1963 to 2007, when a major fault in the engine room made repairs economically impossible.