Paklenica National Park: An Outdoor Treasure Near Zadar, Croatia

Croatia is a beautiful country, and exploring the urban areas is exciting, but sometimes you just need a break to enjoy nature’s beauty. One such place is Paklenica National Park, which boasts majestic mountains, streams, caves, animals, and plants unique to this area. The park is part of the Velebit, Croatia’s most extended mountain range. It’s got towering mountain peaks and tons of natural beauty, but it also has some historical spots open to visitors, like a renovated water mill, a cave, and stone houses. Paklenica National Park is just 36 miles/58 km from Zadar, and it’s an easy drive. My husband and I enjoyed our hike along a river and a peaceful picnic in a quiet grove of trees. While trekking, we couldn’t help but stop now and again to gaze at the towering mountain peaks and the adventurous climbers who sought to scale some of them.

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Admission

Admission charges range depending on the time of year that you visit. In the summer, expect a one-day pass to cost about 10€ for adults and 5€ for children (ages 5-14).
Multi-day passes are also available.
Leashed dogs are welcome.

**Ruins of a stone building and water drainage facility**

What You’ll Find at Paklenica National Park

over 90 miles/150 km of hiking trails through two canyons: Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica.
Manita Peć Cave, open for guided visits. Only cash is accepted for payment. It’s about a 90-minute walk from the main parking lot, and hours are limited, so check on it before your visit. (There are many more caves and pits, but this one is open to the public.) Admission is about 5 € for adults; 2,5 € for children.
14 mountain peaks reaching about 5,500 feet/1,700 meters with hundreds of climbing routes.
a renovated mill, one of 13 that operated along the Veliki Paklenica Stream, is open to visitors during the tourist season. It’s located near Entrance 1.
old stone houses and settlements.
water springs with faucets to refill your water bottles.
restrooms at the park entrance and along the main routes.
variety of plant and animal life.
Lugarnica Forest Cottage offers drinks and food and is located about 2.5 miles/4 km from the main parking lot. Cash only. Open May to October.
Ethno-house Taverna-Konoba Marasović, serving local fare, is located near a park entrance and is open during the tourist season. Bring cash. (Trg Marasovica, Starigrad, Zadarska)

Tips for Your Visit to Paklenica National Park

The park is open year-round.
Plan your hike by checking out the trails online before your visit. I use AllTrails, a free app that rates the trails and provides reviews, tips, and pictures from others who’ve visited recently.
The main parking lot is located past Entrance 1. There is a parking fee.
The trails through Velika Paklenica are suitable for most people, while the trek through Mala Paklenica is considered strenuous.
Stay on marked trails. Park trails are marked with red and white signs.
There are a lot of rocky trails, so make sure your shoes have good tread.
Hike or climb with others; don’t do so alone.
Consider using hiking poles as there are some rocky inclined areas.
Dress for the forecasted weather, remembering that layers are best on chilly days as you can easily shed them as the day warms up.
Stay well hydrated, and bring water along.
Climbing gear is available for rent.
Follow Paklenica National Park on Facebook (or other social media accounts) to keep posted on park events.

Paklenica National Park Information

Paklenica National Park is located about 36 miles/58 km from Zadar.
The phone number for Paklenica National Park is +385 23 369 155.
To contact the park administration, email prezentacija@paklenica.hr.
Entrance coordinates are 44.294053, 15.457578.

**A mountain climber at Paklenica National Park**

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**Hikers fill up their water bottles at a spring.**

**Some of the trails are rocky inclines. Try not to step on the shiny, slippery rocks!**

Final Thoughts

Wanting to experience something energetic, after days spent exploring historical sites, my husband and I set out for a hike in Paklenica National Park. Having read a little about the park, we were excited to see the amazing natural beauty for ourselves. Although some trails provided leisurely walking on crushed earth, there were parts of the trails that I’d term demanding, as they were rocky and, thus, could be slippery. Hiking poles definitely saved me from falling more than once. Having said that, we saw a few families with young children who didn’t seem to have a problem. I’d highly recommend an outing here. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. It’s a reasonably short car ride from Zadar. And it’s fun to watch the brave men and women scale mountainous cliffs.

Comments

Feel free to share your experiences at Paklenica National Park and/or suggestions for other places to visit nearby. Your ideas could be helpful to other travelers. Thanks! 🙂