If you are visiting Croatia and planning to have a more active and adventurous trip, then you should include Risnjak in your itinerary. This park will surprise you with its beautiful nature and mountains and surprisingly enough, it is not as crowded as the other natural parks in Croatia. Trust me when I say, you will not regret spending a day hiking in Rinsjak National Park!
In this guide, I will share with you all the information you need to know to visit Rinsjak as well as my personal experience hiking in this park.
Risnjak National Park
I always like to read and learn about the place, before visiting. In case you are like me, here are some general facts and practical information that will let you know what to expect before about this beautiful park:
General information
- Risnjak is located in the northern and mountainous region of Croatia Gorski Kotar, the region with the most forests in the country.
- It got its name from the Croatian word for lynx, Ris.
- Its highest point is Rinsjak peak (1528m) and its lowest point is Kuppa valley (290m).
- It is the natural habitat for bears, wolfs, and lynxes.
Practical information about the park
- There are many hikes that you can do in Risnjak. The two most famous ones are hiking along the Kuppa river and hiking to Risnjak peak (Veliki Risnjak). I was only able to do the second one and it was absolutely amazing.
- You need to buy a ticket to enter the park and it is valid for two days. You can find all information about the price on the park’s website. However, you can only buy the ticket at the park and not online.
When is the best time to visit?
Risnjak is open all year long, so you can visit whenever you want. However, from November until March or April, the weather conditions might be a bit challenging with rain and snow. Considering this, even though Risnjak is probably beautiful covered in snow, I think it is best to visit in late spring, summer, or early autumn.
Contrary to other National Parks in Croatia, Risnjak doesn’t get too crowded. This means that even if you visit during the summer holidays (like I did) you will not encounter that many people there. However, if you are visiting in the summer, you should know that it gets quite warm during the middle of the day!
Where to stay?
The best location to stay near Risnjak is in the small village of Crni Lug, where the main entrance to the park is located. If you want to stay here, you should book your accommodation as soon as possible as the offer there are not that many hotels and B&Bs there. In my case, I booked last minute and I stayed in the town of Fuzine, which is 24km away from the park.
B&B recommendations:
How to get to Risnjak?
The easiest way to get to Risnjak is by car. It is located 134 km from Zagreb (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes drive) and 260 km from Zadar (around 2 hours and 30 minutes drive).
If you are not driving through Croatia it is also possible to get there by bus. You will have to get a bus to either Delnice or Rijeka and from there, there is a bus to Crni Lug. The bus station at Crni Lug is 1.5km away from the main entrance to the park. You can find more information about the bus timings and prices on this website.
What do you need to bring?
Here are some essentials to bring if you are hiking in Risnjak National Park:
- Light and fast-drying clothes.
- A warmer layer (even when visiting in the summer, if you are starting your hike early in the morning, it is a bit chilly).
- Appropriate hiking shoes.
- Hiking poles. These are not mandatory but if you have them they will be very helpful.
- A light backpack with plenty of water and snacks. The hike to Mount Risnjak is steep so you will need energy and plenty of hydration.
- Sunscreen and a hat.
- Some cash in case you want to buy some fresh drinks at the hut on top of Risnjak peak.
Hiking to Veliki Risnjak
Hike Summary
- Trail Start/End: Crni Lig Main Entrance
- Total Distance: 19 km
- Elevation Gain: 900 m
- Route: Uphill on the trail along Marko’s Lair (Marko Brlog) and downhill on Horvat’s Trail.
Ascent to Risnjak
We were at the trailhead at 7 am to avoid the intense heat while hiking up the mountain. We decided to go up to Risnjak peak along the Marko Brlog trail that follows the route of the old forest road.
The Marko Brlog trail to ascent to Risnjak is longer in distance than Horvat’s Trail but it is easier. It is a wider path and the hike is less technical (it is more even and with fewer roots and rocks that can twist your ankle). Nevertheless, it is still a challenging trail as it is a continuous uphill almost all the time. To help with this, there are plenty of seats along the way as well as information panels that tell you interesting facts about the park.
The trail ends below the summit of Risnjak, where there is a mountain cabin with some picnic tables to enjoy your well-deserved lunch. It took us approximately 4 hours to get to this hut. We had to do several stops along the way since the heat and humidity were too intense.
The mountain hut and reaching the summit
By the time we got to the hut, the sun was really strong and there was barely any shadow. We got really lucky because we found a small bench next to the hut that had some shadow. There we enjoyed the sandwiches we had packed for lunch and lay down to rest and cool down.
Once we had rested, we decided to do the last ascent to the summit. This part includes some rock climbing but it is completely worth it! From the top, you get a 360 degrees view that will leave you breathless!
Tips:
- If you are carrying heavy backpacks, you can ask the person at the cabin if you can leave them there. We did this and it was very helpful.
- If you are afraid of heights and have some vertigo issues, consider skipping this part.
Descent
On our way back, we took Horvat’s Trail. This trail is more technical than the first one since the path is narrower and it is full of rocks and roots. You have to constantly check where you are stepping. To compensate, the view is fantastic. You will want to stop every 100 meters to admire the view or even take some photos.
It took us around 3 hours and a half to return to the car. Our legs were really tired and I had a huge headache from the excess heat and sun of the day.
Recommendation: If I were to do this hike again, I would do it the other way. Hike to Risnjak through the Horvat Trail and return through the Marko Brlog one. It is easier to descend the mountain on a more leveled path.
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