# Pietrosul Rodnei Peak

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Maramureș](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/maramures) › [Maramureș County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/maramures) › [Borșa](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/borsa)

> The highest peak in the Eastern Carpathians (2,303 m), above Borșa in the Rodna Mountains. It is climbed in 4–4.5 hours on the blue-stripe trail, past the weather station and Lake Iezer, shaped like a map of Romania.

**At a glance:** Mountains and trails in Borșa, Maramureș County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: 5 lei. The visit takes 7½ – 8 hours. Information verified on 21 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily open 24 hours — The peak is in the open and has no opening hours. From Borșa, the Iezer weather station is 2–2.5 hours' climb and the summit 4–4.5 hours; set off early in the morning. Snow usually lingers on the ridge until June and can fall again from late August. In winter the route through the Iezer cirque is not recommended.
- **Ticket:** 5 lei — park visitor fee
- **Visit duration:** 7½ – 8 hours — Borșa – summit and back
- **With kids:** No — long, steep climb
- **Best season:** July – September — snow on the ridge until June
- **Address:** in the Rodna Mountains, on the border between Maramureș and Bistrița-Năsăud; access from the centre of Borșa, on the blue-stripe trail, via the Iezer weather station, Borșa, Maramureș County
- **Coordinates:** 47.5972, 24.63379
- **Phone:** +40 263 377 715
- **Website:** https://www.parcrodna.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietrosul_Peak
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q153170
- **Categories:** [Mountains and trails](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/munti-si-trasee), [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcuri-nationale-si-rezervatii)

## 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](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcul-national-muntii-rodnei).

### What you can see

The classic trail, marked with a blue stripe, starts in the centre of Borșa, crosses the Vișeu and climbs the Pietroasa Valley, then the forest road on Piciorul Moșului, to the Iezer weather station (1,785 m) at the entrance to the cirque. From there the path passes Lake Iezer (about 1,825 m), whose outline, seen from above, recalls a map of Romania, and climbs in tight zigzags to the saddle, 10–15 minutes from the summit. On the last stretch, cables separate the ridge from the drops, and at the top stands the abandoned building of the former weather station. The view takes in the Maramureș Depression, the Țibleș Mountains, the main Rodna ridge towards Ineu and, to the east, the Buhăescu tarns.

### Good to know

The climb is long and sustained and requires good fitness. In winter the section between Lake Iezer and the summit is considered impassable: the winter variant skirts the cirque via Piatra Albă Peak and requires winter gear and experience. Snow can fall even in summer: on 24 August 2025, Maramureș mountain rescuers were caught by snow and -2 °C near the summit.

## Don't miss

- Lake Iezer, seen from the zigzags above it, as its outline looks more and more like a map of Romania.
- The glacial cirque below the summit, with the Iezer weather station at its entrance and rock walls all around.
- The last steps along the ridge, beside the cables, to the abandoned building of the former summit weather station.
- The panorama from the summit over the Maramureș Depression and the Țibleș Mountains, with the Rodna ridge stretching towards Ineu.
- The Buhăescu tarns, small glacial lakes in the cirque to the east, seen from the saddle below the summit.

## 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

## Details

- **Protected area type:** biosphere reserve
- **Part of:** Rodna Mountains National Park
- **Maximum altitude:** 2,303 m
- **Difficulty:** moderate
- **Trail marking:** blue stripe
- **Mountain range:** Rodna Mountains

## Frequently asked questions about Pietrosul Rodnei Peak

**How much is a ticket to Pietrosul Rodnei Peak?**

A ticket to Pietrosul Rodnei Peak costs 5 lei (park visitor fee). 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.

**What are the opening hours of Pietrosul Rodnei Peak?**

Opening hours at Pietrosul Rodnei Peak: daily open 24 hours. The peak is in the open and has no opening hours. From Borșa, the Iezer weather station is 2–2.5 hours' climb and the summit 4–4.5 hours; set off early in the morning. Snow usually lingers on the ridge until June and can fall again from late August. In winter the route through the Iezer cirque is not recommended.

**How long does a visit to Pietrosul Rodnei Peak take?**

A visit to Pietrosul Rodnei Peak takes about 7½ – 8 hours (Borșa – summit and back).

**Can you visit Pietrosul Rodnei Peak with kids?**

No, Pietrosul Rodnei Peak is not recommended for visits with children (long, steep climb).

**How do I get to Pietrosul Rodnei Peak?**

Pietrosul Rodnei Peak is located at in the Rodna Mountains, on the border between Maramureș and Bistrița-Năsăud; access from the centre of Borșa, on the blue-stripe trail, via the Iezer weather station, Borșa, Maramureș County. 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.

**When is the best time to visit Pietrosul Rodnei Peak?**

The best season for Pietrosul Rodnei Peak: July – September (snow on the ridge until June).

## Nearby attractions

- [Rodna Mountains National Park](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcul-national-muntii-rodnei) — National parks and reserves · Borșa, MM · 5 lei · 7½ – 8 hours · 2 km
  The highest range in the Eastern Carpathians, with Pietrosul Rodnei Peak (2,303 m), glacial cirques and Iezer Lake; a national park and biosphere reserve, most often climbed from Borșa.
- [Cailor Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-cailor) — Waterfalls · Borșa, MM · Free · 2 – 2½ hours · Top 100 · 16 km
  A roughly 90 m waterfall that drops in several tiers down a limestone wall in the Rodna Mountains, above the resort of Borșa; reached by chairlift and a short forest walk.
- [Prislop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-prislop) — Scenic roads · Maramureș County · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 100 · 22 km
  The highest pass in the Eastern Carpathians: the DN18 climbs from Borșa to 1,416 m between the Rodna and Maramureș Mountains and drops down the Golden Bistrița valley to Cârlibaba, from Maramureș into Bukovina.
- [Cheilor Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-cheilor) — Waterfalls · Sângeorz-Băi, BN · Free · 25 km
  A 20–30 m waterfall in the Cormaia Valley, at the foot of the Rodna Mountains near Sângeorz-Băi; a built path of about 1 km, with steps, footbridges and chains, climbs alongside its tiers.
- [Vaser Valley Forest Railway (Mocănița)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/mocanita-valea-vaserului) — Monuments and historic sites · Vișeu de Sus, MM · 136 lei · 5½ – 6 hours · 25 km
  The last working forest railway in the Carpathians: a steam-hauled train climbs 21.6 km up the Vaser valley, through the Maramureș Mountains Nature Park, to Paltin station.
- [Ieud Hill Wooden Church](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-de-lemn-ieud-deal) — Churches · Ieud, MM · UNESCO World Heritage · 40 km
  The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin on Ieud's rocky hillside, built in 1611–1621, painted inside by Alexandru Ponehalschi and the place where the Ieud Codex was found. A UNESCO site.

---

Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/varful-pietrosul-rodnei
Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/varful-pietrosul-rodnei.md
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania