Apuseni Natural Park

Apuseni Natural Park, Bihor slope, represents the western sector of one of the most extensive protected areas in Munții Apuseni, with a total park area of approximately 75,784 hectares. The area administered by Bihor County covers the western and north-western slopes of the massif, characterised by a particularly complex karst relief featuring numerous caves, dolines, ponoare and gorges. The geological substrate is dominated by Mesozoic limestone, which has favoured the development of one of the densest karst systems in Romania. The park shelters over 150 catalogued caves, among which Peștera Meziad and Peștera Vântului — the longest cave in Romania, with approximately 50 km of explored galleries — are located in the immediate vicinity of the Bihor slope. Altitudes range from approximately 300 m in the depression areas to over 1,800 m on the main ridges. The flora includes Carpathian-Apuseni endemic species, while the fauna is represented by brown bear, wolf, lynx, otter and numerous bat species that inhabit the underground network. Access to the Bihor slope is possible from several points: from Ștei, Beiuș or Vașcău via county roads that penetrate into the massif, and from Sudrigiu there are marked trails leading to the Crișul Negru karst area. The localities of Roșia and Câmpani serve as bases for mountain tourism. The park is well worth visiting for the exceptional density of its karst phenomena, for its speleological diversity recognised at a European level, and for the simultaneous presence of rare underground and terrestrial ecosystems.