Pietrosul Rodnei Peak

About Pietrosul Rodnei Peak

Pietrosul Rodnei Peak, at 2,303 m, is the highest point of the Rodna Mountains and of the entire Eastern Carpathian chain. It rises in the western part of the massif, on the border between Maramureș and Bistrița-Năsăud counties, and towers over the town of Borșa and the Vișeu Valley. Below it lie deep glacial cirques, with rock walls, moraines and lakes.

The area was among the first to be protected in the country: in 1932, 183 hectares of alpine meadow on Pietrosu Mare became a reserve, later extended to 3,300 hectares and recognised by UNESCO in 1979, through the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, as a biosphere reserve. Since 1991, “Pietrosul Rodnei” has also been on Romania's Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage, as a natural site, without having been inscribed. Today the peak lies in the strict protection zone of the Rodna Mountains National Park.

Information verified on 21 October 2026.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: Borșa is on the DN18, ~80 km from Sighetu Marmației (~1 h 50 min) and ~125 km from Baia Mare (~2 h 40 min, over the Gutâi Pass and through the Iza Valley). From Cluj-Napoca it is ~165 km (~3 h 15 min), via Dej and Năsăud and on the DN17C over the Șetref Pass, and from Vatra Dornei ~90 km (~2 hours), on the DN17 and DN18 over the Prislop Pass. The blue-stripe trail starts in town, on the second street on the right after the hospital, heading towards the Borșa tourist complex.

Public transport: Borșa has bus and minibus links from Baia Mare and Sighetu Marmației; the nearest railway station is Vișeu de Jos, on the Salva–Vișeu line, from where you continue by minibus. The trail to the summit starts right in town.

Where to park

There is no proper car park at the start of the trail. Cars are left in Borșa, near the street where the blue stripe begins; the forest road on Piciorul Moșului is rocky and steep in its upper part.

Fees & discounts

The Rodna Mountains National Park visitor fee is 5 lei per person per day, VAT included, according to the administration's price list (in force since 2018). Tickets can be bought online through Easy2Visit, where prices start at ~8.6 lei including the platform's fees. Members of local communities, people with disabilities, mountain rescue staff and other categories set by law are exempt.

Rules

The peak lies in the Pietrosu Mare strict protection zone: walk only on the marked path, without detours. Tents may be pitched only at sites set by the administration, such as the one next to the Iezer weather station. Fires, picking plants, bathing in the lakes and noise are forbidden, and dogs must be kept on a lead. Bring hiking boots, rain gear and warm layers even in summer, plus water and a map; do not set off in fog or storms. In winter you need crampons, an ice axe and experience, and the steep slopes are exposed to avalanches. In an accident call 112 or Mountain Rescue (Salvamont).

Facilities

no facilities on the summit · former summit weather station, abandoned, only a shelter in bad weather · camping spot next to the Iezer weather station · accommodation and shops in Borșa · no drinking-water points on the trail · weak mobile signal in places