Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș Natural Park

Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș National Park is located in Neamț County, on the border with Harghita County, covering an area of approximately 6,575 hectares. The area comprises two distinct components: Cheile Bicazului, a gorge carved by the Bicaz River through Jurassic and Cretaceous limestone, with vertical walls reaching heights of up to 300 metres, and the Hășmaș Massif, with its peak Hășmașul Mare at an altitude of 1,793 m. The gorge itself extends for approximately 8 km, making it one of the narrowest defiles in Romania, with sections where the valley width drops below 10 metres. The park was officially established in 1990 and includes community-interest habitats protected under the Natura 2000 network. The flora comprises over 1,000 plant species, including edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) and the rock pink (Dianthus spiculifolius). The fauna is represented by brown bear, wolf, lynx, golden eagle and numerous bat species that inhabit the caves in the area, among them Peștera Licaș. Geologically, the dominant rocks are Jurassic-age limestones, which have favoured the development of an active karst landscape featuring numerous sinkholes, caves and springs. Access is via national road DN12C, which passes through the gorge, with starting points in the town of Bicaz or in Gheorgheni. The park is well worth visiting for its unique combination of spectacular karst geomorphology, high biodiversity and direct road accessibility through an active gorge.