The best hiking routes in Regionalni park Mura - Drava

Regionalni park Mura - Drava covers a vast riverine landscape shaped by the shifting currents of the Mura and Drava rivers. Unlike managed canal networks, this area is defined by its dynamic waterways, where seasonal high waters constantly reshape the gravel bars, steep clay banks, and side branches. Walkers will find a flat terrain dominated by dense willow and poplar forests, damp meadows, and stagnant oxbow lakes. The transition from the fast-flowing main channels to the still, green waters of the backwaters is the defining feature of this river corridor.

Underfoot, the paths vary significantly depending on how close you are to the water. You will mostly walk on soft alluvial soil, packed dirt tracks, and loose gravel banks along the riverbeds. There are no boardwalks or paved promenades here; the trails are simple, sometimes overgrown tracks that follow the natural curves of the embankments. In late spring, around May, the forest floors are thick with wild garlic, and the damp air carries the scent of decaying wood and river silt.

This park is not a place for panoramic hill views or dry, sandy pine forests. It is a humid, low-lying wetland where the vegetation is thick and the paths can feel enclosed by the dense canopy. While the main access points near local bridges can attract anglers and weekend visitors, the deeper forest tracks along the old river bends remain quiet, offering a direct look at a river system left to its own natural processes.