Risnjak National Park

Risnjak National Park protects 64 square kilometres of the Gorski Kotar mountain region in northwestern Croatia, centred on the massif of Veliki Risnjak at 1,528 metres — the highest peak in the park and the highest point in the Gorski Kotar. The park is named for the Eurasian lynx (ris in Croatian), which was reintroduced to the Dinaric Alps starting in 1973 and maintains a population in and around the park alongside brown bears and grey wolves. The primary landscape is dense beech, fir, and spruce forest covering limestone karst terrain with sinkholes, caves, and rocky ridges breaking the canopy. The Leska educational trail is a 4.2-kilometre looping path departing from the park visitor centre at Crni Lug, passing interpretive boards on forest ecology, traditional woodcutting, and wildlife, and taking 1.5–2 hours to complete at a relaxed pace — suitable for families and less experienced hikers. The summit trail to Veliki Risnjak covers approximately 9 kilometres one way from Crni Lug with a vertical gain of around 900 metres; views from the summit on clear days extend across the Kvarner Gulf to the Adriatic and Kornati Islands to the southwest and to the Slovenian Alps to the north. The park sits at higher elevation than the Adriatic coast and remains cool and green through summer when the coast is baking; snow can persist on the upper ridges into May. The visitor centre at Crni Lug provides maps, route advice, and exhibits on local flora and fauna.