Apuseni Natural Park, Protected natural area in the Apuseni Mountains, Romania

Apuseni Natural Park is a protected area of 75,784 hectares in western Romania, spanning Alba, Bihor and Cluj counties in the central-eastern Apuseni Mountains. It is bordered by the Vlădeasa Mountains to the north and the Bihor Mountains to the south. Its terrain combines crystalline schists, limestone plateaus such as Padiș, gorges, sinkholes and caves, with forests and pastures.

The area received formal protection in 2000 through national legislation after conservation efforts started in 1990 to preserve its geological features. This protection recognized the significance of the limestone and cave systems for scientific study and nature conservation.

The Motzi people living in villages throughout the park preserve time-honored woodworking traditions, crafting musical instruments and wooden structures passed down through generations. These skills shape the everyday landscape and character of communities within the protected area.

The park offers marked trails and cave tours managed by guides for different skill levels. Wear suitable footwear and bring proper clothing since paths cross limestone terrain and damp underground spaces.

Scărișoara Cave, with its underground ice block, lies in Alba County, not in the park itself. Within the park, the Ghețarul de la Vârtop and Ghețarul Focul Viu caves are listed as natural reserves, the latter in Bihor County. The park also holds the Bears' Cave and the Cetățile Ponorului karst complex.