Waters
Realm
Depths
Realm
Walls
Realm
Wilds
Realm
A weekend journey through volcanic places, silent waters, peat bogs, sulphurous caves, ruins, and watchful cliffs.
Photo: Várkonyi Tibor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped and optimised for the web
Journey dossier
This is an editorial itinerary grouping five places in the Ciomad–Băile Tușnad–Bálványos area; it is not an official continuous trail or a route marked under the name ‘The Road of Water and Stone’. The weekend version assumes road transfers between access points and separate use of the local trails.
Region
Ciomad / Băile Tușnad / Bálványos
Duration
2 Days, with road transfers between access points
Journey type
Weekend journey
Stops
5 Traces
Difficulty
Variable; the itinerary combines easy visits with demanding hikes. The destination operator describes the Falcon Stone ascent as suitable for people accustomed to hiking and with an appropriate level of fitness.
Best season
May–October; Mohos Peat Bog is closed in winter, and trail conditions must be checked before setting out
Before you go
This is an editorial itinerary with transfers, not a continuous trail. Check the official schedule for Lake Saint Anne and Mohos Peat Bog, current access and warnings at Puturosu Cave, and trail conditions for Bálványos Fortress and Falcon Stone. At the cave, do not cross barriers or treat smell or the yellow crust as indicators of a safe area.
Practical information checked 3 September 2026
Official resources and updates
In an emergency, call 112 or 0SALVAMONT (+40 725 826 668) and provide your location and the group’s condition.
Itinerary
Start with the Lake Saint Anne and Mohos Peat Bog area. The one-day plan assumes road access to the lake area. The marked hiking route from Băile Tușnad is a separate, substantially longer outing.
Volcanic crater lake
Lake Saint Anne · Ciomad massif, near Băile Tușnad
Romania’s only volcanic crater lake, hidden in the Ciomad massif, where the water seems quieter than the place around it.
Peat bog / oligotrophic bog
Mohos Peat Bog · Ciomad massif, Cozmeni commune; near Băile Tușnad
A peat bog spread across a volcanic crater near Lake Saint Anne, where water hides beneath moss, stunted Scots pines, and dark pools.
Continue with separate stops in the Bálványos area and Băile Tușnad: Puturosu Cave, Bálványos Fortress, and Falcon Stone. They do not form a single marked trail; the day requires transfers between access points and separate use of each path.
Modified sulphurous cavity / natural mofetta
Puturosu Cave · Bálványos / Turia
A sulphurous cave on Puturosu Mountain, where dense air, yellow crusts, and natural emissions make the place seem alive.
Medieval fortress / ruin
Bálványos Fortress · Bálványos / Turia
The ruins of a medieval fortress on a forested summit between Băile Bálványos and Turia, where stone, mist, and legend still hold the place together.
Andesitic cliff / viewpoint
Falcon Stone · Băile Tușnad / Olt Valley
An andesitic cliff above Băile Tușnad, where the Olt Valley opens wide and silence seems to have its own rules.
Journey guide
The itinerary has no single trailhead. The weekend version assumes separate access to the Lake Saint Anne–Mohos Peat Bog area, Băile Bálványos, and Lake Ciucaș in Băile Tușnad.
Băile Tușnad for the lake, peat bog, and Falcon Stone; Băile Bálványos / Turia for Puturosu Cave and Bálványos Fortress
May–October; Mohos Peat Bog is closed in winter, and trail conditions must be checked before setting out
Only partly. The itinerary is not family-friendly throughout. The destination operator describes the Falcon Stone route as suitable for people accustomed to hiking and with an appropriate level of fitness; there is no separate recommendation for children. At Puturosu Cave, the all-ages recommendation applies to the first trail section, not exposure to cave gases; children require constant supervision.
This is an editorial itinerary with transfers, not a continuous trail. Check the official schedule for Lake Saint Anne and Mohos Peat Bog, current access and warnings at Puturosu Cave, and trail conditions for Bálványos Fortress and Falcon Stone. At the cave, do not cross barriers or treat smell or the yellow crust as indicators of a safe area.
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