Poiana Vărășoaia

Poiana Vărășoaia is a mountain meadow in the north of the Padiș plateau in the Bihor Mountains (Apuseni), at about 1,300 m. Romanian Wikipedia lists it within the part of Padiș called "Someșul Cald Gorge – Poiana Vărășoaia – Poiana Cuciulata". From the central Șesul Padiș plain a road leads here to the Vărășoaia hut; two long-distance routes — the red and the blue stripe — follow it too.

Geologically this is a closed karst depression. The "Z" Caving Club of Oradea describes the Vărășoaia depression as the northern end of the closed Padiș – Cetățile Ponorului catchment: streams running off the western slopes of Mount Măgura Vânătă disappear here into sinkholes at 1,150–1,250 m, and the water resurfaces 2–2.5 km away as the crow flies. On the eastern slope of Mount Vărășoaia the V5 cave was discovered in 1986 — one of the deepest in Romania (653 m of vertical range and over 19 km of passages according to the club); it is accessible to cavers only. Both photographs of the meadow were taken in summer rain, with mist hanging over the grass.

What to see and do

• The Cetățile Rădesei loop — red dot, 5.6 km, 1 h 45 min – 2 h, difficult. Beyond the hut the path climbs through forest to a clearing above the Rădeasa valley and descends with a chain to the cave portal, more than 15 m high. The cave is passable only in summer at low water; the route is not recommended in winter.
• The Măgura Vânătă ridge (1,641 m) — yellow triangle from Padiș to the Vărășoaia saddle (7.7 km, about 3 h); returning past the hut and across Șesul Padiș makes a loop of about 5 h.
• The Someșul Cald Gorge — a loop marked with a red dot (5.1 km), temporarily closed because of windfall according to the Munții Noștri portal; check the state of the route before you set out.

How to get there

The plateau is reached from the village of Pietroasa via Boga; a road leads from Șesul Padiș to the Vărășoaia hut (details on the Padiș plateau page).

Season, rules and safety

The meadow lies in Apuseni Natural Park; wild camping is banned in the park. The best time is June to September. Routes with chains and cables are very slippery after rain.

Bears live in the Romanian Carpathians: stay on the marked paths, never leave food by a tent or a car, and near flocks do not run from the sheepdogs — stop and walk calmly around the herd. Salvamont mountain rescue: national dispatch 0SALVAMONT — 0725 826 668 or 112; advice for hikers is on salvamontromania.ro.

Official website: parcapuseni.ro

Photos: Raluca Paută, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.