Semenic-Cheile Carașului National Park

About

The Semenic-Caraș Gorge National Park (Romanian: Parcul Național Semenic-Cheile Carașului) is a protected area (national park category II IUCN) situated in southwest Romania, in Caraș-Severin County.

The Natural Park is located in the Anina Mountains [ ro ] and the Semenic Mountains [ ro ], a group of mountain included in the Banat Mountains. It is situated in the southwestern part of Romania, in the middle of Caraș-Severin County.

The Semenic-Caraș Gorge National Park was declared a protected area by Law No. 5 of 6 March 2000 (published in Monitorul Oficial No. 152 on 12 April 2000). It features a typical karst and forest landscape and is characterised by its 300-year-old virgin beech forest, the only one in Europe.

The Park contains a number of nature reserves, including the Caraș Gorge ( Cheile Carașului ), the Caraș Springs ( Izvoarele Carașului ), and dripstone and other caves.

The Caraș Gorge is one of Romania’s longest, wildest and most beautiful, with rich flora and fauna, including the Semenic flower ( Anntenaria dioica ). It has many caves, some only accessible from underwater, with near-vertical limestone walls and so-called “kettles” on the upper Caraș. On the right bank of the Caraș, above the Caraș Gorge, are the ruins of the thirteenth-century Grat Castle. One of the most beautiful caves in this area, with diverse formations of stalactites and stalagmites, is the dripstone cave of Comarnic.

- European route E70 - București – Craiova – Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Orșova – Topleț – National road DN6 – Mehadia