Rozsda-szakadék, Nature reserve in Bihor County, Romania.
Rozsda-szakadék is a nature reserve in Bihor County featuring a massive gorge approximately 600 meters wide and over 100 meters deep, with rust-colored rock walls. A central stream runs through the chasm, having carved and separated the different rock layers over time.
Military surveys from 1806 to 1869 documented this natural formation on maps, showing dimensions similar to its current state. This contradicts claims that the gorge is a recent formation.
The name comes from Hungarian and means 'Rusty Abyss', reflecting the characteristic reddish-yellow clay and sandstone walls of this geological formation. The coloring of the rock faces is the first thing visitors notice when entering this gorge.
Access is through marked trails from Vertop saddle, with the hike starting at an information board and requiring about a 40-minute ascent. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear and allow time to explore the terrain, as the paths can be steep and surfaces uneven.
The gorge continues to expand through active erosion processes, exposing layers of quartzite that form sharp ridges converging toward a central water channel. This geological activity means each visit captures the landscape in the process of changing.
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