Štirovača Forest Reserve

Deep in the heart of Northern Velebit at 1,100 m elevation, Štirovača is a spectacular high-altitude beech and silver fir forest reserve — the largest single stand of untouched primary forest on Velebit and one of the finest in Croatia. Trees here regularly exceed 200 years old and 40 m tall, and the moss-carpeted floor is thick with wild strawberries and cyclamen in early summer. A network of forestry roads and marked footpaths — including sections of the Velebit E-7 European long-distance trail — makes it accessible to any casual hiker willing to endure the bumpy 40-minute drive up from Krasno on a partly gravelled forest road. There's a lovely mountain hut here (Planinarski Dom Štirovača) serving hearty bean stew and homemade brandy, and the immediate surroundings have three easy loop trails of 3–8 km. In autumn the beeches turn coppery-gold and locals come to hunt for the abundant porcini and chanterelle. Wildlife includes brown bear, wolf and pine marten — bear tracks along the trails are common but sightings rare. Perfect summer refuge when the coast hits 35 °C: here it will be a fresh 20 °C.