# Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Sălaj County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/salaj) › [Gâlgău Almașului](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/galgau-almasului)

> A geological reserve in Sălaj with 10–15 m sandstone towers and spurs, shaped by erosion and named by locals "the Dragon and the Dragoness", "Fata Cătanei" or "the Monks".

**At a glance:** National parks and reserves in Gâlgău Almașului, Sălaj County. The visit takes ½ – 1 hours. Information verified on 10 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** We found no official opening hours. A 2017 guide gave 08:00–21:00, while the press in 2022 and 2026 mentions no access restrictions; for up-to-date hours, ask Bălan Town Hall.
- **Visit duration:** ½ – 1 hours — the loop, with photo stops
- **With kids:** Yes — short, but slippery in rain
- **Parking:** Yes, free — at the reserve entrance
- **Best season:** April – October — best in spring and autumn
- **Address:** ~500 m from the DN1G road, at the edge of Gâlgău Almașului village, Bălan commune, Gâlgău Almașului, Sălaj County
- **Coordinates:** 47.19963, 23.30877
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C4%83dina_Zmeilor
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1314955
- **Categories:** [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcuri-nationale-si-rezervatii)

## About Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)

On the slope of Dumbrava hill, above the village of Gâlgău Almașului, the oak and hornbeam forest opens onto something unusual for the hills of Sălaj: towers, needles and steep walls of sandstone with microconglomerates, greyish-yellow and 10–15 m high. Frost and thaw, wind, washing rain and collapses have carved the rock for thousands of years, and the process goes on: part of the rocks fell as recently as the 1970s, and today's shapes will not be the same in a few decades.

The locals named the formations after what they saw in them: the Dragon and the Dragoness (Zmeul și Zmeoaica), Fata Cătanei ("the Soldier's Daughter"), the Old Man (Moșu), the Monks (Călugării), the Captain, the Soldiers, Cleopatra's Needle, the Sphinx, the Infantryman and the Little Finger. The best-known story is that of Fata Cătanei, cursed by her mother to turn into a stone, either because she fell in love with a soldier or because she refused to take the sheep up the hill in the evening. The place was first called "Închieturi" or "La Fata Cătanei"; the name "Grădina Zmeilor" is said to have caught on after a stage show in the 1980s with actors dressed as dragons.

The area is a nature reserve of national interest (code RONPA0699), of about 3 ha, in IUCN category IV, declared by Law no. 5/2000; some tourist sources say ~5 ha, probably counting the surrounding forest. It is run by Bălan commune, which developed the paths, steps and wooden railings in 2009–2010 with European funds.

### What you can see

From the car park, a landscaped path climbs through the forest in 5–10 minutes to the viewpoint, from where the sandstone towers can be seen from above, with the Almaș valley and the hills in the background. The route continues on wooden steps and paths among the rocks, descends into the "garden" proper and makes a loop, marked with a red dot, that takes about an hour. On the way there is also a small cave, sometimes flooded, thought to have been a mine entrance.

### Good to know

The clay soil gets very slippery after rain, especially on the way down, so wear shoes with a good sole. In summer the dense vegetation hides part of the views; in spring and autumn the shapes show better. In 2024 Bălan Town Hall started the zoning-plan procedure for a leisure area at Grădina Zmeilor, so further works may follow.

## Don't miss

- The viewpoint above the sandstone towers, with the Almaș valley and the hills of Sălaj in the background.
- The Dragon and the Dragoness (Zmeul și Zmeoaica), two of the largest sandstone towers in the reserve.
- Fata Cătanei, the rock tied to the story of the girl cursed to turn into stone.
- The narrow passage between two rock walls, which you squeeze through carefully.
- The wooden steps and paths that go down into the "garden" of rocks, on the loop marked with a red dot.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the reserve is ~500 m from the DN1G (Huedin–Jibou), at the edge of Gâlgău Almașului village; there are signs from the road to the car park. From Jibou it is ~10 km (~15 minutes), from Zalău ~35 km (~45 minutes), from Cluj-Napoca ~70–80 km (~1½ hours), via Hida and Sâncraiu Almașului. The road to the entrance was asphalted by the commune, as the press reported in 2022.

**Public transport:** we found no direct connection to the reserve; the nearest town is Jibou, from where you continue by car or taxi.

### Where to park

The car park is right at the reserve entrance, next to a gazebo and camping spots, and one guide mentions a terrace. The press does not mention any parking fee, but we found no official information.

### Fees & discounts

The sources contradict each other: the press in 2014 and 2022 says access is free, while a 2017 guide gives 5 lei for adults and 3 lei for pupils, students and pensioners. We found no current official tariff; check with Bălan Town Hall before you go.

### Rules

Stay on the marked paths and do not climb the rocks, which are crumbling. Do not pick plants or leave litter: it is a protected natural area. Keep away from the edge of the steep walls, especially with children. Do not come in slippery footwear. Ask the administrator's consent before flying a drone.

### Facilities

Paths and wooden steps with railings · gazebo near the viewpoint · information panels · rubbish bins · car park and camping spot at the entrance · no accommodation in the village (the nearest is in Jibou)

## Details

- **Protected area type:** nature reserve

## Frequently asked questions about Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)

**How long does a visit to Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) take?**

A visit to Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) takes about ½ – 1 hours (the loop, with photo stops).

**Can you visit Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) with kids?**

Yes, Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) is suitable for children (short, but slippery in rain).

**Where can I park at Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)?**

There is free parking at Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) (at the reserve entrance). The car park is right at the reserve entrance, next to a gazebo and camping spots, and one guide mentions a terrace. The press does not mention any parking fee, but we found no official information.

**How do I get to Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)?**

Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor) is located at ~500 m from the DN1G road, at the edge of Gâlgău Almașului village, Bălan commune, Gâlgău Almașului, Sălaj County. By car: the reserve is ~500 m from the DN1G (Huedin–Jibou), at the edge of Gâlgău Almașului village; there are signs from the road to the car park. From Jibou it is ~10 km (~15 minutes), from Zalău ~35 km (~45 minutes), from Cluj-Napoca ~70–80 km (~1½ hours), via Hida and Sâncraiu Almașului. The road to the entrance was asphalted by the commune, as the press reported in 2022. Public transport: we found no direct connection to the reserve; the nearest town is Jibou, from where you continue by car or taxi.

**When is the best time to visit Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor)?**

The best season for Dragons' Garden (Grădina Zmeilor): April – October (best in spring and autumn).

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Last updated: 10 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania