Gaining altitude in Piatra Craiului National Park

To reach the start of the walk, leave Zărnești via Road 112G. The final section of the route follows an unpaved track for 1.5 km. Drive as far as the Botorog fountain, which is situated on the embankment to the right of the track. Park near the bridge over the Zărnești stream.

(S/E) Set off along the track heading south-west, which runs alongside the river. The route is marked with blue lines. After entering the park – where you may be asked to show your entry fee receipt – you’ll soon reach the entrance to the narrow gorges

(1) Walk through the gorge to the mountain rescue hut.

(2) Follow the track heading north-west, passing beneath some climbing routes, until you reach a shelter.

(3) Ignore the path heading west and continue through the gorge. About a hundred metres after a right-angle bend, look out for the junction with the path on the right, marked by a sign indicating Cabana Curmatura is 2 h 30 mins away.

(4) Take the path, now marked with yellow dots, which climbs steeply up the slope through dense woodland. You’ll reach a ford.

(5) Continue the ascent through the forest until you reach a meadow.

(6) Follow the stream, first across the meadow and then through the undergrowth, until you reach the track.

(7) Turn right towards the viewpoint. Reach its southern terrace.

(8) Continue eastwards on level ground for about forty metres until you reach a junction of paths.

(9) The route is now marked with yellow lines. Ignore the path on the left which goes uphill and take the roughly level path until you leave the forest.

(10) Head down through the meadow until you re-enter the forest.

(11) Take the very steep path to a drinking water spring.

(12) Continue the descent, following the winding path as it makes the steep slope easier to navigate and is more comfortable than the many shortcuts. Return to the starting point via the fountain by the ski run (S/E).

You must pay an entry fee to hike in this national park; this can be done online (https://www.pcrai.ro/bilete) or at a machine that accepts cash only at the Visitor Centre: Centrul de Vizitare al Parcului National Piatra Craiului, 1 km from Zarnesti. 10 lei, or approximately 2 euros, for 7 days in 2026. At this centre, you can buy a map of the entire park for 25 lei in 2026, on^{a scale of} 1:^30,000, which includes, in addition to the marked footpaths, mountain bike trails and information on the environment.

Drinking water is available at the fountain at the start, at the viewpoint (8), and there is a drinking water source at the point (12).

As for bears, advice is provided by the park rangers: speak loudly, make noise, and use a whistle or a horn. Signs recommend pepper spray, but no shop had any in stock during our visits. On public holidays, this area attracts large numbers of walkers, whose presence deters the bears.

The trail markings consist of a white background with, in the centre, a blue line running from (S/E) to (4), followed by a yellow dot up to (7) and finally a yellow line from (9) to the finish. The markings are very clearly visible.

Numerous trails criss-cross the park, offering a variety of hiking options.