Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș National Park lies in the Eastern Carpathians on the border between Neamț and Harghita counties, approximately 30 km east of the town of Gheorgheni. Established in 1990, the park covers 7,072 hectares and is designated as both a national park under Romanian law and a Natura 2000 site (ROSCI0027 and ROSPA0018). Its primary features are the Bicaz Gorge — one of the most dramatic limestone canyons in Romania — and Lacul Roșu (Red Lake).
The Bicaz Gorge
The gorge stretches approximately 8 km between the resort area of Lacul Roșu and the town of Bicaz-Chei, following the course of the Bicaz River as it has cut through Jurassic-age limestone over millions of years. Wall heights peak at over 300 m in the narrowest sections, with the rockface rising nearly vertically from the road surface.
The national road DN12C passes directly through the gorge, using a combination of roadcuts and two short tunnels to navigate the terrain. This means the gorge interior is accessible by vehicle, making it one of the few places in Romania where the scale of a geological formation can be viewed from a car window.
Named Sections and Features
- Gâtul Iadului (Hell's Throat) — the narrowest corridor, where the canyon walls close to roughly 8 m width. The road runs along the river at the bottom of a near-vertical slot.
- Piatra Altarului (Altar Stone) — a freestanding limestone spire reaching 1,120 m altitude, visible from the road approach.
- Turnul Negru (Black Tower) — a dark-stained limestone pinnacle, the discolouration resulting from manganese oxide deposits in the rock matrix.
- Poarta de Piatră (Stone Gate) — a natural arch formed by differential erosion of the limestone beds at the gorge exit.
Red Lake (Lacul Roșu)
Lacul Roșu is the largest natural lake in Romania that was formed by a landslide event. In the summer of 1837, a debris flow from the Ghilcoș massif blocked the Bicaz stream valley, impounding water behind a natural dam of rock and soil. The submerged forest — primarily fir and spruce — remained standing for decades after the flooding, producing the lake's characteristic landscape of exposed dead trunks breaking the water surface.
The lake currently measures approximately 12.6 hectares in surface area at its maximum extent, with a maximum depth of 10.5 m. The reddish tint of the water visible in certain light conditions — from which the lake takes its name — results from suspended iron compounds originating in the surrounding granite and gneiss catchment.
The resort village at the lake's edge (Lacul Roșu commune) provides accommodation and is the main base for visitors to both the lake and the gorge. There is no fee to access the lake shore or the road through the gorge.
Biodiversity
Flora
The park records 1,147 species of higher plants. The limestone substrate supports a suite of calcicolous specialists not found on siliceous rock — this includes the endemic Astragalus pseudopurpureus, found nowhere else in the world, along with several Dianthus and Campanula species restricted to Carpathian limestone. Rare species documented in the park include lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) and edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum).
The mixed forest cover — primarily beech, silver fir, spruce, and sycamore — transitions to limestone grassland and cliff-face communities on the gorge walls. The upper plateau of the Hășmaș range (above 1,700 m) supports subalpine grasslands with gentian, alpine rose, and mountain avens.
Fauna
Large mammals confirmed in the park include brown bear (Ursus arctos), grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra carpatica), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). The gorge walls are nesting habitat for golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), and common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). The Bicaz River and its tributaries within the park support brown trout populations.
Key Numbers at a Glance
- Total area: 7,072 ha
- Counties: Neamț and Harghita
- Established: 1990
- Gorge length: ~8 km
- Maximum wall height: 300+ m
- Lacul Roșu surface: 12.6 ha
- Lacul Roșu max depth: 10.5 m
- Higher plant species: 1,147
- Natura 2000 sites: ROSCI0027, ROSPA0018
- Entry fee: None for gorge and lake
Trails and Access
The main access route is the national road DN12C, connecting Gheorgheni (west) with Bicaz (east). Road travel through the gorge itself takes approximately 15–20 minutes. The nearest town with full services is Gheorgheni (Harghita County), 25 km west of the lake.
Marked Walking Routes
- Lacul Roșu → Suhardul Mic (1,507 m) — approx. 3 h return, moderate. The most accessible summit in the park, with views over the lake and gorge.
- Lacul Roșu → Curmătura Bicazului — approx. 5 h return, moderate. A ridge route along the eastern margin of the Hășmaș plateau.
- Bicaz-Chei → Piatra Altarului viewpoint — approx. 2 h return, easy. A short walk from the gorge exit to the base of the Altar Stone formation.
- Hășmașul Mare (1,792 m) summit — approx. 6–7 h from Lacul Roșu, strenuous. The highest point in the park, with panoramic views into the Eastern Carpathians.
Off-trail movement in the strict protection zones requires advance written authorisation from the park administration, in accordance with the 2016 park regulation.
Visitor Regulations
- No collection of plants, fungi, minerals, fossils, or invertebrates.
- No climbing on the gorge walls without a permit — the route database is managed separately through the Romanian Alpine Club (Federația Română de Alpinism și Escaladă).
- No camping outside designated areas.
- No hunting or fishing within the park boundaries (fishing in the lake requires a separate annual permit from the county fishing association).
- Fires prohibited across the entire park area, including in the gorge.
Rock Climbing
The limestone walls of the Bicaz Gorge contain approximately 200 documented climbing routes across multiple faces, ranging from 5a to 8c+ in the French grading system. The main crags are Peretele Principal (the Main Wall) and Piatra Altarului. Climbing is permitted but regulated — detailed route information and current access conditions are available through the Romanian Alpine Club.