Stone Gallery via Stap(ina) – Nature’s Hidden Playground

Note: The ascent time (5.5 h) in the data above the map includes the climb and the tour of the Stone Gallery with all stops. For the descent, including all stops, it took us another 4.5 h.

In everyday life, we are mostly accustomed to the uniformity of nature. If we stray a little from our usual daily routes, nature occasionally offers us more imaginative solutions that we admire—it feels as if she intentionally scattered them around to show off how creative, powerful, and incredible she is.

However, there are places in this world that nature has reserved only for herself. Places where she plays, where she finds new ideas and designs hilarious creations. These are spots for her own pleasure and relaxation in moments of leisure between two uniformities.

These “playgrounds” of hers are often hidden far from prying eyes, and seeing them requires a bit of effort. This time, we headed to one such destination in the heart of Southern Velebit.

Stap

At 860 m above sea level, surrounded by a ring of rocky formations of various shapes, lies the fairytale grassy plateau of Stap. It is well-known and beloved among hikers, both for its incredibly beautiful landscape and for the legendary Tatek’s Hut which serves as a base for further routes through Southern Velebit. Stap is a destination in itself, but for us this time, it was a passing station on our way further east.

The first feeling when you step onto Stap is exhilaration. The beauty of the landscape is incredible, and a smile of delight doesn’t leave the faces of even the grumpiest individuals. One feels like sitting on the meadow and going nowhere else. Stap is a special place that remains a lasting memory and beckons you to return, no matter how far away you might be.

The first feeling when you step onto Stap is exhilaration, and the beauty of the landscape is incredible!

Tatek’s Hut on Stap

Tatek’s Hut is well-equipped and has all the necessary inventory for survival. In front of it, in the shade of the trees, there is a large table with benches and a grill. Water is available in a cave about 30 meters away; however, the spring can dry up during the summer, and the pump can be problematic, so one should not rely on this source entirely but rather use it as a supplement.

Stapina

Stapina is a monolithic rock with a rounded top, 100 m high. From the moment I first saw it in a photograph, it became an obsession, and after years of waiting, postponing, and catching the ideal moment, we finally organized a trip with the goal of visiting it.

However, even all the monumentality of this supernatural monolith was not enough for it to be the main star of the journey. The main star was waiting for us another hour’s walk further east…

Stone Gallery (Kamena galerija)

In Spain, there is a “playground” of nature that people call La Ciudad Encantada (The Enchanted City). A location where Conan the Barbarian was filmed, an incredible work of nature that leaves you speechless and is a recommendation for everyone to visit.

However, in the Stone Gallery on Velebit, nature has said much more in much less space!

The amount of imagination petrified in various shapes and forms is so fascinating that you cannot believe it’s all real! And just when you think that’s it and there’s nothing left to surprise you, at a crossroad they ask you to choose the easier or the more beautiful path!?! Definitely choose the harder one 😉

The tour itself, in terms of physical activity, is hilariously fun! Climbing up ladders, cables, pegs, and rocks is a childhood dream come true. It evokes memories from the wild days of youth when we all had the powers of Superman and not even the sky was the limit. Caution is necessary here at every step; otherwise, you expose yourself to mortal danger! This should be kept in mind at all times, because the beauty of the landscape intoxicates you, and then your vigilance can slip.

The trail in the Stone Gallery is circular and brilliantly designed. It passes by all the “exhibits” in a way that maximizes the terrain’s configuration in a very interesting manner, and where necessary, pegs, ladders, and cables are installed. The cables are thick and of exceptional quality, unlike any I’ve encountered before.

Certain “exhibits” have names, and the “Dragon’s Back” (Zmajev hrbat) is something you cannot conceive wasn’t planned and built! From a single piece of rock, you have a channel shaped like some kind of slide, whose walls are serrated like the back of some dragon. Incredible!!!

The Terrace of Knives is fascinating, but what we discovered in it, which we haven’t seen marked anywhere, is even crazier—a real, petrified dragon!!!

And finally, some technical information…
Some leave their backpacks at the entrance to the gallery, but we managed to pass everything with them. In a few narrow parts, we brushed against the rocks a bit (e.g., during the descent on the ladders), but we didn’t have any major issues. Whether you go with backpacks or without, let that be a matter of personal judgment.

The trail is extremely safe if approached carefully and without unnecessary exhibitionism. It is not difficult and does not require any special strength or technique.

Awaiting a visit to Antelope Canyon, the most imaginative and one of the most fascinating natural attractions we have seen so far is certainly the Stone Gallery, nature’s hidden “playground” in the heart of Velebit.

About the Trail

As mentioned at the beginning, some hidden corners require a bit more effort to reach. Stap and the Stone Gallery can be reached from several directions, each challenging in its own way.

Although the original plan was to access from the east, from Veliko Rujno (about 12 km one way), we eventually decided on Bristovac. The trail starts from the village of Bristovac itself. The terrain is quite rough and steep. Markings have faded in places, and the first few hundred meters are quite overgrown, making the ascent further difficult by pushing through vegetation. It is recommended to complete this part before the sun gets too high.

• Estimate that you need 2–2.5 h to reach Stap,
• and 0.5 h to Stapina,
• then about 30–45 min to the Stone Gallery.
• The gallery tour takes an additional 1 h, or up to 1.5 h if you want to enjoy the “exhibits” and photography longer.

So, expect that you need about 10–11 h in total.

After an entire day of hopping around the mountain, the ruggedness of the terrain, the lack of maintenance on parts of the trail in its lower section, and the relatively steep incline are what give this trail a “very difficult” rating if you want to complete it before dusk. You will need good water supplies. 0.5 l in a thermos and 1.5 l of reserve in a backpack per person, plus a reserve waiting in the car, are a good measure during spring. Spend the summer swimming instead, and in autumn and winter, keep in mind that the days are short and the shadows from headlamp beams will further slow down your return over rough terrain. There is always the option of overnighting at Stap, but be aware that you might not be alone and there might not even be any space left.