The Risnjak National Park is located in Gorski kotar, the most wooded part of western Croatia.  The Park covers an area of 63,5 km2 including the central part of the Risnjak and Snježnik massif, as well as the upper flow of the river Kupa with its source area.

The area of the Risnjak massif was proclaimed a national park on September 15, 1953, at the suggestion of an eminent Croatian natural scientist and researcher of Risnjak, prof. dr. Ivo Horvat. Early in 1997, the NP "Risnjak" was extended to the area of the Snježnik massif and the source area of the river Kupa, thus fulfilling the wish of prof. dr. Ivo Horvat to protect and enhance this area. The area of the NP "Risnjak" belongs to the Dinaric mountain system which stretches from the eastern Alps to the Sar-Pindos Mountains.

Due to various climatic, geologic, petrographic and other factors, a very heterogeneous flora and fauna has been preserved in this area. The Park is made mostly of limestone and dolomite with major karst features (karren on bare rocks, rock falls, doline/sinkholes, ponor/swallow holes, caves etc.). Therefore, in spite of great amounts of rain and snow in this area, in the Risnjak and Snježnik massif there are only very few weak springs (Klupice in Smrekovac and Studenac in Javorov kal), and the three permanent springs in Leska make a small stream which sinks through a ponor towards the source of the river Kupa which is located in the northeastern part of the Park and which represents a distinguished hydro-geological feature of this area.

The highest peak of the NP "Risnjak" - Veliki Risnjak - is only 1528 m high, but this massif together with the contiguous Snježnik massif (1506 m) is nevertheless a great climatic and vegetational barrier between coastal and continental parts of Croatia.

The animal life of the Park is abundant and rich in variety. The dense forests of Risnjak are inhabited by the brown bear, deer, chamois, wild boar, wolf, fox, pine and stone marten, badger, weasel, squirrel, door-mouse and other animals. The most important animal used to be the lynx (Croatian: "ris"), after which Risnjak got its name. During the past century, the lynx was exterminated and has only returned to Risnjak three decades ago. There are numerous bird species living in Risnjak

For more information, check the official Risnjak website