Stațiunea Durău – Poiana Viezuri – Cascada Duruitoarea – Polița Ariniș – Piciorul Șchiop – Cabana Dochia

What the walking is like

The waterfall variant, and the only one with descent along the way: 1,240 m up and 310 m down, over 7.5 km. From in front of the park headquarters you cross the Nican stream on a footbridge and climb to the county road in under ten minutes. Beyond it the path re-enters the forest, among blocks fallen from the escarpment, and after almost an hour reaches Poiana Viezuri at 1,189 m. From there it heads south-west, through clearings and then through cool forest, bounded on the left by rocks fallen from Toaca and Piatra Ciobanului. The last obstacle is Râpa Pârâului, after which the path drops gently to the Rupturi stream.

What we'd tell you at the gate

• Trail 5 in the official list of the Ceahlău National Park.
• Waymarking: red cross.
• Official time: 4 h 30 min – 5 h up.
• Elevation gain 1240 m, length 7.5 km, difficulty mediu, figures published by the park authority.
• The Duruitoarea waterfall is a protected natural monument; a rest stop has been built beside it.
• The rest stop at the waterfall is roughly halfway, before the sustained climb begins.
• 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

  The Duruitoarea waterfall is 25 m high, in two steps separated by a ledge cut into the rock, at 1,218 m. Its noise carries far as a rumble, and that is where its name comes from.

• 2

  Beside the waterfall there are tables and benches, roughly halfway, right before the hard part.

• 3

  In winter the park does not recommend the Duruitoarea waterfall – 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.

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