Bicazu Ardelean – sat Telec – Confluența Bistrelor – Curmătura „La Scaune” – Curmătura Stănile – Cabana Dochia

What the walking is like

The longest route in the range, 19.9 km with 1,225 m of ascent, from the west. It starts in the centre of Bicazu Ardelean, at the junction of DN 12C with the road to Tulgheș, runs five kilometres to the village of Telec and from there onto communal road 138. It crosses the village along the Bistra stream, and past the last houses enters the forest; after about a kilometre and a half it reaches the Bistre confluence at 804 m, where there are a park information point and a trout farm. From there it climbs gently for three kilometres to a clearing, where the Cintelec and Mangalaria streams join the Bistra Mare. The gradient only sharpens beyond the clearing, but from there the view opens towards Ocolașul Mare and the Gardul Ocolașului.

What we'd tell you at the gate

• Trail 7 in the official list of the Ceahlău National Park.
• Waymarking: blue stripe.
• Official time: 5 h – 5 h 30 min up.
• Elevation gain 1225 m, length 19.9 km, difficulty mediu, figures published by the park authority.
• At the junction of the forest roads in Telec there is a park authority information point and a trout farm.
• Its 19.9 km make it the longest waymarked trail in Ceahlău.
• The park authority publishes no winter note for this trail: ask at the park before you go.
• The waymarking, times, elevation gain and length are those published by the Ceahlău National Park authority. The driving distance from La Cuib is calculated on the OpenStreetMap road network.

Not to miss on the way

• 1

  At the Bistre confluence, where two forest roads meet, there is a park information point and a trout farm: the sign that you are on the right road.

• 2

  The first three kilometres after the confluence climb gently: that is the warm-up. The hard part starts past the clearing with the holiday houses.

• 3

  In winter the park does not recommend the Stănilele Mici – Dochia hut section.

What else you can do on the trail

• 🏔 Toaca peak, 1,904 m, with its metal steps and the weather station.
• The Duruitoarea waterfall, a protected natural monument, on trail 5.
• The scientific reserves of Polița cu Crini and Ocolașul Mare, and the botanical ones at Toaca and Gardul Stănilelor.
• 🏛 The Ceahlău National Park visitor centre, in Durău.

What grows and what moves along the trail

The species above are those documented in the area by the protected-area administration; what you see depends on season, hour and luck.

How long it takes, honestly

The times, waymarking, elevation gain and length are published by the Ceahlău National Park authority.

• 5 h – 5 h 30 minone way, to the top, at your usual pace
• back the same way (estimate)
• 5 h – 5 h 30 minout and back, with short breaks
• 5 h – 5 h 30 minone way, if you stop for photos and eat on the grass
• one way, with children, grandparents or a pack full of “just in case”