The best hiking routes in Nacionalni park Paklenica

Nacionalni park Paklenica is defined by two massive limestone canyons, Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica, which cut vertically into the southern slopes of the Velebit mountain range. For walkers, the choice of path determines the physical challenge. The main entrance leads directly into Velika Paklenica, where the canyon floor is wide and the trail is a broad, stone-paved path running alongside a mountain stream. Here, you walk beneath sheer, vertical cliffs that are highly popular with rock climbers.

As you head deeper or opt for the steeper side trails, the terrain changes rapidly from these flat canyon floors to steep, scree-covered slopes and dense beech forests. Underfoot, the smooth stones of the main track give way to loose limestone gravel, exposed tree roots, and sharp karst rocks that require careful foot placement. The higher sections of the park lack the shade of the canyons, opening up into dry, scrubby karst meadows where the white limestone reflects the light.

This is a rugged, vertical landscape where flat walking is limited to the very bottom of the main gorge. There are no gentle, rolling grassy hills here; the terrain is consistently steep, rocky, and demanding once you leave the valley floor. In May, the meltwater streams are still active, filling the canyon bottoms before they dry up later in the summer, leaving only dry, stony creek beds.