National Park Sjeverni Velebit, Mountainous national park in Lika-Senj County, Croatia.
National Park Sjeverni Velebit covers the northern slopes of the Velebit mountain range in Lika-Senj County and protects an area with beech forests, karst plateaus, and deep gorges. The landscape shifts between wooded valleys and bare peaks, crossed by hiking trails that connect different elevations.
The area received protection status as a nature reserve in 1981 and was declared a national park on June 17, 1999. The official opening took place in September of the same year, expanding legal protection for the northern Velebit massif.
The name Velebit comes from Slavic settlers who named the massif after its imposing size. Hikers today follow old shepherds' paths that ran through mountain pastures for centuries and now serve as marked routes.
Access is through the Babić Siča entrance daily from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with guided tours available for marked hiking routes. Visitors should bring sturdy footwear and prepare for changing weather conditions, as the climate in higher elevations can shift quickly.
The Lukina jama cave system extends 1392 meters (4567 feet) deep within the park boundaries and ranks among the deepest vertical karst formations in Europe. The cave was named after Ozren Lukić, a Croatian cave explorer who dedicated himself to investigating this underground network.
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