The ROSCI0247 Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei protected area is close to Căsoi and Poiana Stampei. Căsoi belongs to the municipality of Poiana Stampei, whose administrative centre is also Poiana Stampei. The themed trail through the bog is easy and provides a specific nature-focused activity for a stay in this area.

A themed trail through Tinovul Mare

A wooden boardwalk crosses the bog and is about 800 to 900 metres long one way. At a leisurely pace, the themed trail takes about an hour there and back. The stated length refers to the boardwalk in one direction, while the time refers to the round trip. The themed trail is intended to be visited on foot, by bicycle or with a pushchair.

Information boards and signposts accompany the trail; there is a map of the themed trail at the entrance to the protected area. It ends in a small meadow beside the Dornișoara stream. The boardwalk route and the meadow at the end can therefore serve as specific landmarks for visitors.

From Poiana Stampei, take the DN17 or E58 to the turn-off for the village of Dornișoara, at the level of Căsoi; turn left there. A surfaced gravel road then runs through the forest for about three to four kilometres to the information board at the entrance to the protected area. Signposting and road conditions may change. Check the access route before your visit.

Moorland and plant life

Tinovul Mare is an oligotrophic, forested peatland ecosystem. Peat has accumulated over thousands of years. The protected area includes active bogs, bogs with forest vegetation and degraded bogs capable of natural regeneration. The associated habitat types are designated by codes 7110, 91D0 and 7120.

The carnivorous round-leaved sundew, Drosera rotundifolia, grows in the bog; the rare species Ligularia sibirica is also found there. This offers nature enthusiasts two different perspectives: the peat layer formed over a long period and the plant species found in this peatland ecosystem.

Hiking trails in the wider region

The Bucovina section of the Via Transilvanica ends in Poiana Stampei, the administrative centre of the municipality to which Căsoi belongs. From Poiana Stampei, the Via Transilvanica continues towards Lunca Ilvei. There, at the foot of the Rodna Mountains, the 210-kilometre Highlands section begins. This route puts the surrounding area in a broader hiking context, while the themed trail through Tinovul Mare offers a clearly defined destination for a shorter walk.

The Gura Haitii–Pietrele Roșii–Dornișoara hiking trail also reaches Poiana Stampei via municipal and forest roads after ending in Dornișoara. There it meets the E576 or DN17 between Suceava, Vatra Dornei and Bistrița-Năsăud. For visitors wishing to place the region’s different nature trails in context, the bog trail and the longer hiking route differ in both destination and regional setting.

Nature and culture in Poiana Stampei

Călimani National Park operates a visitor information point in the municipality of Poiana Stampei, staffed by park rangers. It is another regional point of interest for travellers who are interested in the national park as well as Tinovul Mare.

As a cultural highlight, the Balul Gospodarilor is held annually in Poiana Stampei. This traditional cultural celebration promotes local customs, folk costumes and regional traditions. Check the date of the event for the relevant year before your trip if you would like to combine your stay with it.

Discover more destinations: Cacica, Fălticeni, Pojorâta, Sadova, Frasin, Dealu Floreni, Pârteștii de Sus, Şcheia

For the main travel overview: Suceava.