Bucura Lake

Bucura Lake is a glacial cirque lake in the Retezat Mountains, lying at about 2,040 m in the Bucura cirque, below Peleaga Peak and the Bucura saddle, within Retezat National Park. The park administration describes it as the largest glacial lake in Romania by surface, at 8.9 ha. The lake runs north to south and is about 550 m long, with an average width of 160 m and a maximum width of 225 m, and a shoreline of about 1,390 m. Its maximum depth of 15.5 m is near the inflow of the Peleaga spring, and its volume is estimated at about 625,000 m³. The water drains through a single outlet towards Lia Lake, lower down the valley. The lake is part of the Bucura glacial complex, a series of cirques holding several lakes, for which the park administration recommends a circular trail. On the shore stands the Bucura Salvamont refuge (2,041 m), staffed by mountain rescuers in summer, and next to it is a designated camping area. The shortest approach starts at Gura Bucurii, reached by a forest road of about 20 km from the Gura Apelor dam, usually open from mid-May to mid-November to high-clearance vehicles. From there the route climbs the Bucura valley on the blue stripe and red cross markings. Visits to the park are allowed only on marked trails and require the visitor fee, and swimming and boats are banned on the park's lakes.