Paklenica National Park extends over 95 km², on the southern slopes of Velebit.
The National Park Paklenica was proclaimed the second national park in Croatia, proclaimed only in 1949, only a few months after NP Plitvice Lakes. The main reason for proclaiming this area to the national park was the protection of the most prominent and largest forest complex in Dalmatia. Characteristics of the Paklenica National Park are native black pine forests, several types of beech forests, and deep canyons with streams - the Veliki and Mala Paklenica boulders. The wider area of NP Paklenica is characterized by its rich cultural heritage.
The most attractive and valuable parts of the southern Velebit are the amazing canyons of Velika and Paklenica. The Veliki Paklenica canyon is 14 km long and 500-800 m wide. The Paklenica canyon is modest in scale. It is 12 km long and 400-500 m wide.
In the Paklenica National Park there are several permanent or occasional streams and many constant springs of water. The strongest source of Velika Paklenica is the source of Ivina Vodica, at an altitude of about 1200 m. Paklenica is about 48 km away from Turn.