Ruscova: Valleys, Culture and Trails in Maramureș

Ruscova is located in the Munții Maramureșului Nature Park and is one of the Ukrainian-influenced communities along the Ruscova Valley. The terrain is varied and mountainous in character, with hills ranging from 600 to 900 m predominating.

Other places: Lăpușel, Poienile Izei, Sighetu Marmaţiei, Leordina, Săliștea de Sus, Remeţi, Coltău and Staţiunea Borşa.

Cultural and Religious Sites

The Conacul Drahneilor is a traditional Maramureș manor house in Ruscova on the Valea Dragmirov. It was built from carved fir wood on a stone foundation and has a shingle roof typical of traditional buildings in Maramureș. From Ruscova, a paved road of approximately 4 km crosses the Ruscova River and runs through the Valea Dragmirov to the Conacul Drahneilor.

The Ukrainian monastery “Nașterea Sf. Ioan Botezătorul” is located in Ruscova-Oblaz in Maramureș County. The hamlet of Oblaz is also home to the wooden church “Sfântul Ierarh Nicolae”, which was built at its present location in 1954 from the wood of the former parish church in Ruscova.

The festival of the monastery “Nașterea Sf. Ioan Botezătorul” included a procession with young people in traditional dress, priests, and worshippers. On Sunday, 15 April 2018, the “Festivalul cântecului şi dansului ucrainean” was held in Ruscova; all artistic groups from Ukrainian-influenced places in Maramureș, as well as two artistic groups from Ukraine, were invited.

Water and River Valleys

The Ruscova and Dragmirov valleys feature rapids and cascades that are considered attractions for water sports using inflatable boats. This water sport takes place in summer at the confluence of the Ruscova and Vișeu rivers, when the water is warm.

Nature

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is permanently present in the Vișeu river basin and also occurs along the Ruscova River.

Hiking Trails

One route crosses the Ruscova Valley and then follows the path through the Valea Paulic for approximately 500 m. It passes through the clusters of houses in Smereca, through a mixed forest of beech and spruce, past Piatra Socolău, and across two clearings to the Stânișoara mountain pasture. The marked trail then climbs below the Mihailecu Ridge and continues along the ridge with karst formations to the 1,917 m-high Vf. Mihailecu before descending to Lacul Vinderel.

Marked hiking trails should be checked for current trail conditions before setting out if the route passes over ridges, through clearings, along forest paths, and on cart tracks. For a hike with such changing trail sections, assessing your fitness for the day is also part of the preparation.

On the Paltin–Lespedea–Lupului–Obcina–Drahmirov route, the trail runs from the Valea Lespedea along the DJ 187 for approximately 10 km, parallel to the Ruscova River. It then turns into the Valea Lupului and follows a cart track to the Obcina Ridge; from there, it descends via the Valea Drahmirov, also on a cart track, to the DJ 187.

For the higher-level travel overview: Maramureş.