Northern Velebit National Park

Northern Velebit National Park covers about 109 square kilometres of the high, rocky spine of the Velebit mountain range, in Lika-Senj County, between the Adriatic coast and the inland plateau of Lika. The range is the longest mountain chain in Croatia, a long wall of limestone that rises steeply from the sea and falls more gently toward the interior, and the northern part is its wildest and most spectacular section. The park is reached from the village of Krasno on the inland side, and it protects a landscape of sharp peaks, deep karst pits, rock towers, beech and fir forest and high alpine meadows.

What makes the park special for scientists and nature lovers is its biodiversity. Velebit lies at the meeting point of Mediterranean, Alpine and continental climates, and plants and animals from all three zones live here. The mountain is home to a number of endemic species, which grow nowhere else, the best known being the Velebit degenia, a small yellow-flowered plant that clings to rock crevices and is the symbol of the range. Brown bears, wolves and lynx live in the forests, and the old beech woods in this area are part of a group of ancient beech forests that have been recognised by UNESCO. The botanical reserves of Visibaba and Zavižan, with the nearby Balinovac and Velika Kosa areas, protect some of the richest plant communities, and visitors are asked to stay on marked paths.

The best-known route is the Premužić Trail, a long path built in the 1930s along the contours of the mountain by the forester Ante Premužić, which is admired for the way it follows the natural lines of the slope. It is a wide, gently graded track that links huts and viewpoints, and it offers views of the Adriatic and its islands on one side and the inland plateau on the other. Hikers can walk sections of different lengths, and many return to the trail year after year. At Zavižan, a mountain hut stands beside a weather station that is among the highest in the country, and a small botanical garden shows the plants of the range.

Other points of interest include mountain huts, old shepherds' shelters and a forestry museum in Krasno, which explains the long history of forest use in the region. The village of Krasno has a visitor centre, from which you can get information, maps and permits. Entrance rules, fees and opening times change, so check with the park administration before you go.

Mountain weather can change quickly, even in summer, so bring layers, rain gear, plenty of water and sturdy boots, and avoid the high routes in snow or storm. Roads into the park are rough and some are closed in winter. The park suits hikers, botanists and photographers. Allow a full day or several days.