One day hike to Pades Peak
We left Timisoara early in the morning, heading for Pades Peak in Poiana Rusca Mountains. We had 160 kilometers to go, out of which eight kilometers on a forest road. We passed through Caransebes, Otelul Rosu and Ruschita. On leaving the village of Ruschita, we headed for the famous Ruschita marble quarry. The road is paved all the way to the marble quarry. As soon as you pass the marble quarry, the forest road starts. We continued on the forest road for another eight km to Taul Ursului (The Bear’s Lake). The distance can be covered in 20 to 30 minutes by car or on foot in about two hours. The forest road is not in great condition, so it should be approached carefully when driving. It’s not approachable in winter or rainy season except with an off-road vehicle.
As it was winter and the day would be short, we drove to Taul Ursului (The Bear’s Lake) to gain more time. Not having snowed and having a 4×4 wheel drive, we were okay. If it had been summer, I would have preferred walking – in this case, just follow the road and the red cross markings.
Once we arrived at Taul Ursului, we took advantage of the sunny winter morning to enjoy breakfast in the middle of nature. From Taul Ursului, at 1000 m altitude, several trails start. We followed the one marked with red band, which leads to Pades Peak. After not-a-very difficult two-hour walk through the forest, we reached the Pades Peak, also known as Padesu or Padis. Pades Peak has an altitude of 1,382 m, and that makes it the highest peak in the Poiana Ruscă Mountains.
Info Box
Trail: Taul Ursului – Pades Peak
Trail Markings: red cross & red band
Duration: 4 hours round trip in the summer
Trail Difficulty: easy
Equipment: mountains/trekking shoes, wind and rain coat, water, food; first aid kit; phone
Google Maps: link
