Căsoi – Tinovul Mare and Via Transilvanica

The ROSCI0247 Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei protected area is located near the villages of Căsoi and Poiana Stampei. Tinovul Mare is an oligotrophic, forested peatland ecosystem in which peat has accumulated over thousands of years.

Căsoi is where the natural landscape and long-distance hiking route meet: Căsoi belongs to the municipality of Poiana Stampei, whose administrative seat, Poiana Stampei, marks the end of the Bucovina section of the Via Transilvanica. The overview map of the Via Transilvanica shows Căsoi as one of the places marked along the route.

Nature

Tinovul Mare protects active bogs, bogs with forest vegetation, and degraded bogs capable of natural regeneration. The habitat types are identified by codes 7110, 91D0, and 7120. The carnivorous round-leaved sundew Drosera rotundifolia occurs in Tinovul Mare; the rare species Ligularia sibirica is also found there.

Hiking

The themed trail through Tinovul Mare is an easy hiking trail. A wooden boardwalk approximately 800 to 900 metres long leads one way across the bog along this trail. Information boards and signposts accompany the route, which is well signposted. There is also a map of the themed trail at the entrance to the protected area.

At a leisurely pace, the walk there and back takes about one hour. The trail ends at a small meadow alongside the Dornișoara stream. The themed trail through Tinovul Mare is considered suitable for travelling on foot, by bicycle, or with a pushchair.

Routes

After ending in Dornișoara, the Gura Haitii–Pietrele Roșii–Dornișoara hiking trail reaches Poiana Stampei via municipal and forest roads. There it meets the E576, also known as DN17, which runs between Suceava, Vatra Dornei, and Bistrița-Năsăud. From Poiana Stampei, the Via Transilvanica continues towards Lunca Ilvei. The 210 km-long Highlands section begins there at the foot of the Rodna Mountains.

Balul Gospodarilor is a traditional cultural celebration held annually in Poiana Stampei. It promotes local customs, folk costumes, and authentic traditions of the region. Călimani National Park maintains a visitor information point in the municipality of Poiana Stampei, staffed by park rangers.

Further destinations

Find more pages about localities at: Solca, Sadova, Fundu Moldovei, Dragomirna Monastery, Moldova-Sulița, Suceava, Cacica, and Podu Coșnei.

The eastern side of the Tihuța Pass lies in the village of Căsoi in Poiana Stampei, Suceava County. The DN17 section in Căsoi runs on the right-hand side from km 116+000 to km 123+970 and is 7.970 km long.

From Poiana Stampei, the access road to Tinovul Mare branches off to the left from the DN17, also known as E58, at the turn-off to the village of Dornișoara at the level of Căsoi. It then continues for approximately 3 to 4 kilometres along a surfaced gravel road through the forest to the information board at the entrance to the protected area.

To the higher-level travel overview: Suceava.