Cabana Izvorul Muntelui – Curmătura Lutul Roșu – Pârâul Izvorul Alb – Stânca Dochia – Jgheabul cu Hotaru – Cabana Dochia

What the walking is like

It leaves from the same place as trail 1 and shares it as far as Curmătura Lutul Roșu, then goes its own way: a gentle drop through the forest, two hundred metres along the county road, then onto an old forest road along the Izvorul Alb stream. The road narrows into a path and crosses the stream several times. After about 1.2 km it reaches Stânca Dochiei at 1,179 m, below Piciorul Sihastrului. A small spring rises beneath the rock: it is the last water before the hut. Higher up, in the clearing called La Izvoare, Jgheabul Mare meets Jgheabul cu Hotaru; the route climbs the latter, through dense forest that opens now and then towards Lake Izvorul Muntelui.

What we'd tell you at the gate

• Trail 2 in the official list of the Ceahlău National Park.
• Waymarking: blue triangle.
• Official time: 3 h 30 min – 4 h up, 2 h 30 min down.
• Elevation gain 1020 m, length 5.7 km, difficulty mediu, figures published by the park authority.
• The stretch from the Izvorul Muntelui hut to the Lutul Roșu saddle is shared with trail 1.
• 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 spring below Stânca Dochiei is the last water on the route: there is none between here and the hut. Fill your bottles there.

• 2

  The last stretch through the forest threads between conglomerate blocks fallen from the Ceahlău escarpment. On the right stands the rock called Trajan's Eagle.

• 3

  In winter the park does not recommend the Stânca Dochiei – 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.

• 3 h 30 min – 4 hone way, to the top, at your usual pace
• 2 h 30 minback the same way (estimate)
• 3 h 30 min – 4 h up, 2 h 30 min downout and back, with short breaks
• 3 h 30 min – 4 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”