Meseș Peak, Meseș Mountains

Meseș Pass (606) - Meses II Forest Road - Ascuțit Hill (705) - Meseș Pass (606) - Stânii Mountain (716) - Meseș Peak (681) - Meseș Pass (606)

Hiking access

The start and finish point for this tour is Pasul Meseș, located at the junction of DN1F (E81) and DJ108R. Free parking is available immediately at the entrance of the DJ, unfortunately there is a lot of packaging in the area which pollutes the environment. There is another free parking lot at the intersection, on the DN, but in the direction of Zalaău. From Zalau it's 8 km and takes 15 minutes. From Cluj-Napoca there are 80 km to be covered by road in 1.5 hours via DN1F.

About Meseș Mountains

Meses Mountains belong to the mountain group of the Western Carpathians. Their maximum altitude is 996 meters (996 meters above sea level) at the peak of Magura Priei. The Meses Mountains are made up of several small subgroups of mountains separated by valleys. The main ridge measures 8 km.

About hiking

This easy hike in the Meseș Mountains is composed of two loops of trail that run almost exclusively through forest. You can pick ripe blackberries if you hike in August or September. The trail has only one lookout point.

Route map

(click on objectives for extended version)

Technical box

Difficulty: easy
Duration / distance: 5 hours with breaks / 12 km
Marking: red dot / blue stripe / red stripe
Water sources: none
Minimum altitude: 580 meters, at point 2 on the map
Maximum altitude: 716 meters above sea level, at Măgura Stânii, point 10 on the map
Level difference: +500 m / -500 m

Comments: the route has only one lookout point; it is addressed to all those who want to do a little bit of mountain walking, being very easy and accessible all year round

1. Meseș Pass (606 m) - Meseș II Forest Road - Dealul Ascuțit Peak (705 m)

1.5 hours / 4 km / easy / red dot, then blue stripe

Initially we wanted to take the blue-banded trail straight up to the summit, but because we took the wrong trail, we descended to the right to continue on the Meseș II forest road, marked with a red dot. On the way we picked blackberries. At the point marked 3 on the map, we leave the forest road and go far to the left, keeping the red dot marker for another 300 meters on a wide road through the meadows, from which a view of the surrounding low mountains appears at a certain point. At point 4 we have to be careful to change direction to the left once more, but also the marker, now changing to the blue lane. The path climbs to the top of the Ascuți Hill, where there is an antenna. The summit is wooded.

we're going down the blue lane

the only vantage point

the forest is sparse in the foothills

here we leave the forest road

Here are your blackberries!

red dot marking

2. Pointy Hill Peak (705 m) - Meseș Pass (606 m)

0.5 hours / 1.3 km / easy / blue stripe

After a 15-minute snack break, we descend ahead of where we came, down the well-marked blue-blazed path that leads to the intersection where we parked our cars. It is a pleasure to go down the forest path in the shade of the beech trees.

Meses Pass

huge mound of ants

pleasant walk through the forest

The summit of Pointy Hill

3. Meseș Pass (606 m) - Stânii Gorge (716 m) - Meseș Peak (681 m)

1 hour 15 minutes / 3.5 km / easy / red lane

We cross the national road carefully and follow the path that continues, practically as an extension, on the other side of the road. The new marker we follow is red lane. We intersect the Via Mariae ecumenical route. Our route is a wide and easy road, still through the beech forest. After half an hour we pass the aerials on the top of the Stânii Mass, which is also the highest point of our route. After the peak with many antennae we descend gently into a saddle where two marked trails from Zalău come from the left. The intersection looks like a roundabout. A last short climb takes us between many blackberry bushes in the vicinity of the Vârf Meseș. Another well deserved break in a place with fresh fruit.

red tape marking

crossroads

Stânii Massura peak

on the wide and clear road

4. Meseș Peak (681 m) - Stânii Mountain (716 m) - - Meseș Pass (606 m)

1 hour 15 minutes / 3.5 km / easy / red lane

From Vârful Meseș we return to Pasul Meseș on the same red-blazed trail via Măgura Stânii. To the left and to the right there are several unmarked trails that can be descended into the national road at points other than the one we are interested in. We end our leisurely hike with the group photo.

beech forest

the route is easy

Meseș Peak

Conclusion

Come and join Meses Mountainswhere autumn colors the leaves and blackberries are waiting to be picked! The trails are friendly, laughter guaranteed and blackberry-colored lips! Get cozy and come!

All the best!

Steps: