Salt Hill Nature Reserve

The natural reserve is located West from the Băile Tușnad town, on 1.5 ha. It is located on the Southern part of the Harghita mountains, on the Eastern slope of the Pilisca Mare volcanic cone. One of the most visited attractions is the Piatra Șoimilor andesitic pillar, which offers a remarkable view on the whole region. It was declared a reserve due to the presence of a single yellow flower, the Hieracium telekianum, this is the only place on Earth, where this little flower still exists. Then the St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), the Cytisus hirsutus or the Telekia speciosa in the early summer months along the creeck of the reserve have to be mentioned. Besides a series of plants and trees, the bird population of the reserve should be discussed also, this being very valuable as well. Here we can see the Ural owl (Strix uralensis), the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea), the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), the Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), and the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). This region is home to more than 35 brown bears, so visiting the reserve after sunset is not recommended. Text and photo source: http://www.greenharghita.ro/

This is the only mountain swamp in the Northern Harghita Mountains. It is located on the exterior slope of a volcanic crater, between the Ostoroș peak (1386 m), Fagul Roșu peak (1336 m), and the Observatorul peak (1372 m), at 1180 meters altitude. The swamp covers 20 ha land, and it is densely populated by ice age relict plant species. It is accessible on a tourist trail that starts from the church in Cârța. Among the protected plant species we mention the Liguaria sibirica, the bay willow (Salix pentandra), and the hare’s tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). In 2000 a group of scientists discovered here a new spider species, the Meioneta similis, which is an ice age relict spider, observed in Iceland, Finland and Northern Russia so far. Text and photo source: http://www.greenharghita.ro

Vârghiş Gorge is located in the Perșani mountains (1292 m), which belong to the Southern Group of the Oriental Carpathians. The gorge formed in Jurassic limestone and has a length of 4 km.  It is at the border between Harghita and Covasna counties. The Vârghiş Gorge and its caves form a protected area of ​​national interest corresponding to IUCN category IV (natural reserve), it has a total area of ​​800 ha and overlaps with the Natura 2000 protected area RO SPA 0027 Homoroade Hills. Vârghiş Gorge hides a number of nearly 130 caves, of which 4 are open to the public. It is forbidden to visit them without proper equipment (helmets, headlamps, hiking shoes or rubber boots). Access roads:  - DN13A National Road Miercurea Ciuc – Vlăhiţa – go to the county road DJ132 towards Lueta - Mereşti;  - National road DN12 Sfântu Gheorghe - Bodoc, enter left on the county road DJ122 to Băţanii Mari - Biborţeni – Baraolt. From there, turn right on the county road DJ131 towards Tălişoara and reach the village of Vârghiş. 

The Luci swampland covers 273 ha, and by its size is the largest mountain peat swamp in Romania, it is located 10 km west from Sâncrăieni, in the northern part of the Southern-Harghita Mountains, between the Tolvajos pass and Sântimbru Băi, in a giant crater. The diameter of the crater is 7 km, it is situated at 1080 meters altitude, and the Cormos brook flows through the marsh. The thickness of the peat is estimated to be about 4,5 meters. The area of 282.5 ha was declared protected area in 1955. It was formed by the drainage and sedimentation of a former crater lake, and deserved its protected status due to its plant associations and species which are here since the last ice age. We can mention the dwarf birch (Betula nana), sphagmun moss species, round-leafed sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), hare’s tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), blueberries and cranberries. Among the reptiles we can find the common lizard (Zootoca vivipapa), the European viper (Vipera berus), the Carpathian newt (Triturus montandori), the alpine newt (Triturus alpestris), the common newt (Triturus vulgaris), the yellow bellied toad (Bombina variegata), the European common frog (Rana temporaria) or the European common toad (Bufo bufo). There are also frequently seen brown bears, stags, dear, wolf, wild boar and lynx as well. Text and photo source: http://www.greenharghita.ro

Ciucul de Jos watershed is characterized by a multitude of mineral water springs, rich in sodium, magnesium, calcium and hydrocarbons, which offer excellent drinking water and contribute to the formation of peat bogs, which are shelters for many rare plant and animal species. The springs are also special due the fact that the mineral salts (limonite) in the water precipitate, forming cones or spreading around like a muddy cover, called by the locals "borsár" - hence the name of the Borşaroş marsh, which now consists of two isolated areas: Vízkert (Water Garden) and Omlásalja (Cave-in). The dwarf birch (Betula humilis) is a treasure of the Borşaroş marsh, which once had the largest population of this species. It is a glacier relict, which reminds us of tundra habitats with its appearance of a small tree. Currently there are 20-30 trees in the reserve.

The springs that appear under Mădăraş Peak have a slower flow, soak the soils with water and together with the climatic conditions specific to the upper sub-Alpine-mountains, create conditions for peat formation. On this area there are relict species from the glacial period (round-leaved sundew, pinguicula), the survival of which was facilitated by the cold climate of the Harghita Mountains. Where the incline of the slope grows, the springs reappear and form the Seche Creek, known for its picturesque waterfall. Seche Swamp with the Mădăraş Peak are included in the "area of Community interest Harghita Mădăraş" that is part of the Natura 2000 network. The protection area extends to 182 hectares, while the actual surface of the marsh covers about 30 hectares.

The Călimani mountains are in the northern part of the Eastern Carpathians, forming the largest volcanic chain in the country. The flat volcanic plateaus and the ridges that rise like pyramids above them prove the Călimans volcanic origin. In this volcanic chain we can also find the tallest volcanic ridges in the Carpathians: Pietros Peak (2103 m) and Răchitiş Peak (2021 m). The Lake Iezer Reserve in Călimani is a protected area of ​​national interest that covers a surface of ​​322 hectares, belonging to Toplița administrative center. The reserve lies at the foot of the Răchitiş massif and has a glacial lake (1200 sqm, 45 m long and 35 m wide). The surrounding area is home to a diverse range of shrubs and a wide variety of mammals. The depth of the water is between 3 and 5 meters. The lake has a triangular shape, and its tip marks the outlet. Two brooks fed the lake, which flows into the Puturosul (Stinky) stream. Among the plant species, we can mention the dwarf pine (Pinus mugo), Juniperus sibirica, Rhododendron kotschyi or Nardus stricta. Text and photo source: http: //www.greenharghita.ro/

The Bicaz Gorge - Hășmaș National Park (PNCB-H) is of great scientific interest in geology, geomorphology, paleontology, landscape and biology due to its variety of geoclimatic conditions. Bicaz Gorge is famous in Romania due to its impressive size. Red Lake, formed by a landslide in 1837, which blocked the flow of the Bicaz creek, offers a very picturesque scenery. The park is located in the Hăşimaş mountains (Hăghimaş), in the central group of the Eastern Carpathians, a mountain range also known as Moldo-Transylvanian Carpathians. The park is in the central-northeastern part of Romania, in the Neamț and Harghita counties. The protected area of

On the Budvár hill (a 635 m conglomerate cliff) man has already settled since the Neolithic Age and lived here during the Iron Age. Traces of a hut and the ruins of a fortress from the time of the Arpádian Dynasty were also found here. Since 1992, it is considered an archaeological reserve. A protected flower grows on Budvar hill - Arum maculatum. Text and photo source: http://www.odorhei-turism.ro/