Cheile Jietului, the ice paradise of Parâng. The hidden place in Romania, surrounded by natural beauties

Located at the foothills of the Parâng Mountains and crossed by the road that connects the towns of Văii Jiului with Transalpina, Chielie Jiețulu turns for several months of the year into a land of ice, rarely lit by the sun's rays, but sought after by adventure lovers.

Cheile Jietului. Photo by Atilla Dobai. Facebook

In winter, the walls of the Jietului Gorge are covered with ice that lasts for several months, as sunlight hardly penetrates the pass bordered by precipitous slopes.

In recent years, the place has become increasingly sought after by hikers, and in winter the frozen curtains that cover it sometimes become climbing sites for climbers equipped to face the giant sloes. Atilla Dobai captured in the images published on his Facebook page the spectacle of nature in the reserve animated by climbers.

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Cheile Jietului Photo Atilla Dobai Facebook (9) jpg

The Jiețului gorges stretch over a distance of over ten kilometers, connecting, through the National Road 7A, the towns of Petrila and Petroșani in the Jiului Valley to the Parâng and Șureanu Mountains.

Keys decorated with ice, winter

After crossing them, the travelers reach the wild land of Obârșia Lotrului, located on the border of Hunedoara and Vâlcea counties.

From here I can go up to the large reservoirs Vidra (Latoriței Mountains) and Oașa (Șureanu Mountains), located at over 1,000 meters, to the caldera and glacial lakes of the Parâng Mountains, located at altitudes of over 2,000 meters, to Transalpina – the highest road in Romania, which reaches over 2,200 meters – or to the resorts of Șureanu, Parâng, Voineasa and Rânca. They can also reach the Roman marching camps, in the Șureanu Mountains.

The mountainous terrain accessible through the Jietului Gorge is divided by the borders of Hunedoara, Alba, Sibiu, Vâlcea and Gorj counties.

In winter, some alpine areas are difficult to access, but the Jietului Gorges give many tourists enough reasons to be satisfied.

“I live in Petrila and I like to run through the gorges or go for a bike ride. I often met wild animals, especially black goats. In winter, their scenery is fantastic, thanks to the ice curtains. The waterfalls Vălul Miresei and Dușul Pădurarăru and the rest stops are also worth seeing. Sometimes, however, the road is crowded with cars and you can feel the exhaust fumes, but if the cars rarely pass, it is good.” says a local.

The Jietulu Gorges in Hunedoara cover an area of ​​ten hectares, at the foot of the Parâng and Șureanu Mountains, and access to them can be made both from Petroșani and from Petrila, the nearest towns.

“The Cheile Jietului nature reserve, almost 11 kilometers long, includes steep cliffs, waterfalls, mountain trails and a road that allows access to the Transalpina. Little traveled and explored, the area can also hide new caves”informs Petrila City Hall.

Near them you can also explore Cheile Tăii, Cheile Crivadie, Defileul Jiului and Cheile Băniței.