The Paklenica karst river canyon is a national park in Croatia. Due to its unique natural features, magnificent forests, and extraordinary geomorphologic structures, the area of Velika and Mala Paklenica was proclaimed a national park in 1949. The main reason for proclaiming this area a national park was the protection of the largest and best-preserved forest complex in the territory of Dalmatia, which was threatened by overexploitation. The Paklenica National Park covers an area of 95 km2 and includes the highest peaks of the Velebit Mountain – Vaganski vrh (1752 m a.s.l.) and Sveto brdo (1753 m a.s.l.).

The name Paklenica probably derives from Black Pine sap called “paklina”, which the locals used in traditional medicine, for wound treatment, for light, and for coating wooden boats (but it also sounds like “hellish” – “pakleno” lol). It covers the area of torrent flows of Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica, and their distinctive canyons carved vertically into the southern slopes of the Velebit Mountain as well as their surrounding area. The relatively small area has an abundance of geomorphological phenomena and forms, diverse flora and fauna, attractive landscapes and intact nature. Near the entrance to the Velika Paklenica is an artificial tunnel complex built for Josip Broz Tito during the tension between Yugoslavia and the USSR in the late 1940s and early 1950s (that’s the real important info haha, but tbh we might have have a presentation in here).