Romania's largest nature park protecting a pristine Carpathian wilderness of alpine peaks, glacial valleys, and traditional Maramureș culture
Maramureș Mountains Natural Park
Maramureș Mountains Natural Park is Romania's largest nature park, a protected landscape spanning nearly 149,000 hectares in the northern Carpathian Mountains of Maramureș County. The park encompasses the dramatic Maramureș Mountains range, which forms part of the Carpathians of Maramureș and Bucovina in the Eastern Carpathians. Established in 2005 through government decision, the park protects a wilderness area of exceptional ecological diversity, featuring towering peaks exceeding 1,900 meters, glacial cirques, deep river valleys, and extensive forests. The landscape showcases remarkable geological variety including volcanic formations, glacial moraines, limestone cliffs, and crystalline bedrock. The park supports rich biodiversity across multiple habitat types, from montane spruce forests through subalpine meadows to alpine grasslands, hosting numerous protected species of flora and fauna. Beyond its natural significance, the park preserves elements of traditional Maramureș culture, including wooden churches, historic villages, and the famous narrow-gauge Mocănița railway that operates along the Vaser Valley.
