Firiza – Sonioca Peak – Dealul Bagnăului – Frăsineasa Peak – Lomas – Băița

Cycling style - Cross-country

Minimum equipment - MTB hardtail bike 

Water sources – the springs in the Firiza Dam area, the spring on the Sf. Gheorghe Valley, immediately after crossing the bridge and the spring in the Borcutului Valley

Route condition – the section Baia Mare -  entrance to Sonioca and Băiţa Peaks - Baia Mare with small interruptions, are paved roads. The section of interest between  Sonioca Peak and Băiţa is a forest road (The Wood Highway).

The route starts from the Stadium are to Ferneziu, crossing on asphalt the road near the Dam and through Firiza, up to the area of the water pools belonging to the Lostrița trout farm, located on the right side of the road. After passing the pools, we take a left on the forest road provided with the barrier - The Sonioca Valley (the Wood Highway). The cobblestone road begins with a more gradual ascent of about 1 km, after which it comprises sections of descents and smooth climbs until the Bagnăului Hill, where there is a resting place after passing a barrier (if we climb through the right of the resting place, on the road that enters the forest, we arrive shortly in Poiana Șeituri and from there you can descend into the Romana Valley).

From the resting place we continue on the Frăsineasa forest road, to the first bifurcation (where there is a blue sign for a place of return) from where we take it to the left and start the gradual descent on the rocky forest road. At the next bifurcation we take a left on the forest road that reaches the intersection with the Sfântu Gheorghe Valley, we pass by the micro hydropower plant and we continue to descend on the road that passes through the Lomas hamlet, reaching the intersection with the bridge to Ulmoasa, then we continue on asphalt road, towards Băița. We go through the road through Băiţa to Tăuții Măgherăuș and take it to the left, we cross the river on the Cota bridge on street no. 4 and we go straight on an unpaved road, which passes through the houses area and slightly ascents until the houses are is left behind, when we take it to the right, going through the road that crosses the former orchard and exits to Apa Sarata. We take it to the right on the paved road, up to the intersection with the road to Dru Relax, a place from which we turn left, we pass by Dru Relax and climb straight, up to the top of the hill. From here we take it to the left on the ridge, towards the forest, passing by an old abandoned house, located on the right side of the road and near a few vineyards, after which we enter the forest. From the forest we take the second road to the right and descend by the fence of a house, to the spring in the Borcut valley. From the spring we take it to the right towards Baia Mare and then on the second road to the left (after an old house plated with brown and yellow ceramic tiles). The road ascents steeply to the last house, where we take it to the right and climb the paved road until we reach the asphalt road, on Miron Costin Street, on which we descend to Victoriei Street.

 *Map, text and video source: https://maramures-bike.ro/