Risnjak National Park
Nature-lovers will find it worth making a side trip to inland regions, specifically to Risnjak National Park, only 30 kilometers from Rijeka. The drive takes you through Gornje Jelenje in the direction of Lazac to Vilje.
A marked hiking trail begins there leading (in 90 minutes) to the peak of the Veliki Risnjak (1,525 meters). The karstic Risnjak is part of the Dinaric Mountains linking the Alps with the Balkans. It has rich flora, with fir and beech forests growing up until an altitude of 1,250 meters. The highest vegetation belt is made up of mountain pines.
There are many animal species, too; let us only mention the bird population and the chamois here. You are advised not to leave the marked trails. Wearing good hiking boots that support your ankles properly is recommended to avoid injuries that may occur by getting caught in one of the many fissures or crevices that mark the karstic floor of the mountain, if hiking oft the trails.
Platak, standing at an altitude of 1,100 meters, is a recreational resort that nestles right at the edge of the national park, and which has skiing facilities and many trails leading into the mountains of the area. The climb to Risnjak from here takes about three hours.
