Comuna Ocna Șugatag: Salt Lakes and Ancient Forests

Salt lakes, old trees and village traditions give Comuna Ocna Șugatag several distinct themes to explore on a trip. The Ocna Șugatag spa resort lies in the Maramureș Depression, at the foot of the Țibleș and Gutin volcanic massifs, on the DN 18. Lacul Gavril is part of the tourist route of Ocna Șugatag’s anthropogenic salt lakes. Another nature highlight is Pădurea Crăiască, with its protected tree population. The scenery ranges from a salt landscape shaped by human activity to stands of old trees; local customs and wooden churches also offer a distinct focus.

Pădurea Crăiască and the themed trail

Pădurea Crăiască covers 49 hectares and is a protected natural area; it has also served as a seed reserve for oak and larch species. Its tree population includes oak, sessile oak and larch, along with other tree species. The monumental oaks, which are over 250 years old, are particularly striking. The forest can therefore be explored on two scales: the diversity of its tree population and the great age of individual oaks.

The “Poteca de povești” themed trail passes through the forest and shares information and stories about its old trees, diverse birdlife and the woodcraft tradition of Maramureș. It starts at the information center in the center of the Ocna Șugatag spa resort and takes about half an hour to walk. This approximate duration is useful for planning your time; also check the local signs. The combination of nature and woodcraft gives the trail a different character from a route that passes only through the trees.

Lakes and distinctive habitats

In clear weather, Creasta Cocoșului is reflected in Tăul Morărenilor. The area has distinctive terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It is protected for its botanical species, birdlife and aquatic fauna, including the round-leaved sundew. If you want to distinguish the natural sites by theme, the Lacul Gavril route focuses on salt lakes, while Tăul Morărenilor is known for its scenery and distinctive habitats.

Customs and wooden churches

In Hoteni, “Tânjaua Hotenarilor” is held every year on the second Sunday in May as a spring festival featuring an agricultural custom. It celebrates the first farmer to start plowing and includes a procession with decorated tânjele. If this festival is important to your travel plans, check the date for the year in question. This lets you time your stay around a specific recurring custom rather than connecting your visit with spring in general.

The route through Breb highlights the traditional rural architecture of Maramureș as well as age-old pastoral and domestic activities. Breb is also home to the “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavril” Greek Catholic wooden church, a historic monument dating from 1622. In Sat-Șugatag, the “Cuvioasa Paraschiva” wooden church stands in the center, on the left bank of the Mara River. The two places offer different cultural points of reference: in Breb, the focus is on rural architecture alongside the historic monument; in Sat-Șugatag, it is on the church’s location in the village center by the river.

The nature trail and the festival also differ in terms of planning: allow about half an hour for the trail, while “Tânjaua Hotenarilor” takes place on the second Sunday in May. This makes it easy to plan a short nature outing and a date-specific cultural event separately.

Discover more destinations: Breb, Comuna Remeți, Comuna Desești, Orașul Târgu Lăpuș, Municipiul Baia Mare, Orașul Seini, Comuna Strâmtura, Comuna Bogdan Vodă.

View the overview of the wider region: Maramureş.