October 7, 2023 – Even when it’s not as warm and gorgeous as this year’s, autumn is the ideal time for a weekend trip in Croatia. This weekend, may we suggest the stunning Risnjak National Park.
As Turističke Priče writes, Risnjak separates the sea from the continent. It is close to both, and it is nestled between the beautiful forests and greenery of Gorski Kotar. It allows you to relax and explore the rich flora and fauna, or simply enjoy the greenery and birdsong, and along the Kupa valley, observe the play of butterflies. If you’re feeling adventurous, there is a predator trail nearby, and Cro-medo Bearwatching is a unique experience for sure.
“Among the rugged rocks of Risnjak and deep ravines, in its wonderful deciduous and coniferous forests, let the flora and fauna live unhindered, and let man pass through its paths full of respect for the great natural entity he entered,” said once Dr. Ivo Horvat, a famous Croatian botanist of world renown. He is to be thanked that the magnificent forests of Risnjak were spared from excessive exploitation and were declared a National Park.
A Trip To the Mountains and the Sea at Once
In terms of elevation, the National Park extends from 290 meters above the sea near the village of Hrvatsko in the valley of the Kupa River, all the way to 1528 meters. That is the height of the highest peak in the Risnjak massif – Veliki Risnjak, which, together with the Snježnik massif, represents a climatic and vegetational barrier between the coastal and inland parts of Croatia.
Risnjak National Park is located in Gorski Kotar, the most wooded area in western Croatia, covering an area of 63.5 square kilometers. It is interesting that the aerial distance from the top of Veliki Risnjak to the sea is 15 kilometres and only 8 kilometres from the source of Kupa river. Within that radius of only 23 kilometers by air, remarkable climatic differences can be noted. This is what makes Risnjak stand out, a mountain that towers over all the areas between the land and the sea that belong to the National Park.
Risnjak As A Natural Connection Between the Alps and the Balkan Mountains
The Risnjak National Park area belongs to the Dinaric system. It stretches from the Eastern Alps to the Pindus Mountains and is part of the area that connects the Alps and the Dinarides. Large migrations of alpine, arctic, and boreal species passed through the massifs of Risnjak and Snježnik in the southeast direction, but on these mountains, significantly different vegetation than the surrounding area has been preserved.
1148 species and subspecies of flora
“The Risnjak massif has always been known for its rich flora, developed in diverse microclimatic and geological conditions. This diversity is the basis for a relatively high floristic diversity. The main feature of the flora of the National Park is a large number of taxa – 1148 species and subspecies. During the field research carried out in the period from 2004 to 2006, 83% of all taxa known so far mentioned for the area in the literature were confirmed and mapped“, they point out in the Risnjak National Park.
Well-preserved climatic plant communities, especially forest ones, with an authentic composition of plant species give the National Park a special value. It also has the most beautifully expressed phenomenon of Dinaric vegetation. In addition, the Risnjak area is the natural habitat of all three large European beasts – the bear, the wolf, and the lynx, which is where it got its name. The Croatian word for lynx is ris.
Other animal species, such as birds, reptiles, and insects, are also numerous and diverse in the park. Butterflies are important inhabitants in the Kupa River valley, which is colloquially known as the “Butterfly Valley.”
