From Monday, September 16, 2024, the road to Poiana Pelegii in Retezat will be under repair, and the access of tourists with cars will be prohibited until the beginning of October, except on weekends.
The road to Poiana Pelegii will be closed to traffic during the works. Photo: Daniel Guță THE TRUTH
The forest road that goes up from the Gura Apelor dam to Poiana Pelegii in Retezat (video), one of the main access routes to the national park, will be in the construction site. Car access will be closed for the duration of the work, for the next three weeks, except on weekends and after workers’ working hours.
“During September 16, 2024 – October 4, 2024, due to the Hunedoara Forest Department carrying out some repair work on the Lăpușnicul Mare road, on the Pod Subrotunda – Gura Bucurei section, the movement of vehicles on this road will be completely restricted as follows: from Monday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday. Motor vehicle traffic is permitted from Friday 4:00 p.m. to Monday 8:00 a.m. Please take this information into account when planning any trips to the mentioned area”informed the administration of Retezat National Park (APNR).
The road from the Gura Apelor Dam to Gura Bucurii (Poiana Pelegii) is unpaved, damaged, being practicable up to Gura Bucurii (with great care and a car with a high guard), announce the representatives of the reserve.
“The state of the roads can change from one day to the next depending on the weather conditions. We remind you that the Retezat National Park Administration does not own or manage roads in or near the park“, APNR also stated.
After the reopening of traffic, the forest road will be able to be used by tourists until the beginning of November, being one of the road sectors in Hunedoara that are closed to traffic during the winter, due to the risks.
Gura Apelor dam road
The road to Poiana Pelegii from Retezat, about 20 kilometers long, can be traveled by car in about an hour. It represents one of the six access roads by car on the territory of the Retezat National Park.
The forest road represents a sector of the Hațeg – Toteşti – Ostrov – Ostrovu Mic – Rău de Mori – Brazi – Gura Zlata – Gura Apelor – Rotunda – Poiana Pelegii route.
The route starts from DN68 Hațeg – Caransebeș. From Hațeg, travelers go to the first intersection after Toteşti, where they enter the DJ686A towards the Gura Apelor Dam, then continue on the forest road towards Poiana Pelegii in the Retezat National Park. The road condition is good until Brazi, from where the road is made of concrete slabs with bumps.
The road from the foothills of Retezat goes up from the villages of Clopotiva and Râu de Mori of Haţeg Country over a distance of about 30 kilometers, passing through the gorge of the Râului Mare (video), up to the Gura Apelor dam. This road section will enter the construction site in the coming days to be modernized.
The most difficult part of the road is the sector between Brădăţel (video) – a former workers’ colony from the 70s, then transformed into a school camp and partially abandoned – and the Gura Apelor dam.
On the side of the road you can see huge rocks torn from the slope and collapsed from great heights. In some places, the authorities intervened and widened the road, after part of it was covered by rocks.
The forest road that leads to the heart of Retezatu
The road from the Gura Apelor Dam to Poiana Pelegii is unpaved on Valea Lăpuşnicului Mare, practicable, but drivers are advised to drive on it with cars with high ground clearance and to show increased attention.
The road to Poiana Pelegii starts from the edge of the Gura Apei Dam, next to a barrier installed by the Retezat National Park Administration and plunges into the mountains and forests, towards the foot of the highest peaks. It is difficult because of the pits and gravel that cover some parts and its narrowness.
At the end of this road, one of the most important tourist attractions of the Retezat National Park is revealed: Poiana Pelegii, the place where most of the mountain trails start. The most popular of them is the path to Lake Bucura, located at over 2,000 meters, an hour’s climb on foot.
