The Red Lake & Bicazului Gorges

   The Red lake is one of the largest lake made by a natural dam on the territory of Romania and is part of Bicaz Gorge – Hășmaș National Park. It is located at the foot of the Hăşmaşul Mare Mountain, near the Bicaz Gorges, 26 km from the town of Gheorgheni, being accessible from the DN12C national road.
The red color is due to the clays rich in iron oxides, brought by the Red Creek and deposited in the lake. At the same time, the red rocks of the Suhard massif accentuate the color of the lake.
The view is spectacular due to the submerged forest, the trunks of the spruce trees still piercing the water here and there, giving the lake a unique appearance in the Romanian water landscape.
The surface of the lake decreases every year because of the alluvial deposits of the rivers flowing into it.
Downstream of the Red Lake is the beginning of the Bicazului Gorges, 10 km of spectacular gorges in the Eastern Carpathians, along the valley of the Bicaz River, linking Transylvania and Moldova, and forming together a travel destination unique in Romania.

   The Bicaz Gorge is a very scenic canyon that serves as a passageway between the Romanian provinces of Moldova and Transylvania. It is situated in the central part of the Hășmaș Mountains, and it is part of the Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș National Park. The road along the 10 kilometres of ravines, often in serpentines with rock on one side and a sheer drop on the other, is one of the most spectacular drives in Romania. The gorge has a part that is so narrow that it is known as 'Hell's Gate'.