Hiking Trips from Cârnic to Retezat Mountains Ridge

The Retezat Mountains are one of the destinations where anyone who visits even once inevitably leaves a part of their soul in its forests or on its ridges. A wild and seductive land at the same time, the stone fortress of Retezat awaits explorers and adventurers in any season, every moment spent on its paths being special. We have countless options to penetrate the heart of these legendary mountains, most of which pass through places of sublime beauty. Among the most popular hiking trails in the Retezat Mountains, those starting from Cârnic are preferred by many due to their moderate difficulty and the fascinating places that can be discovered on the way to the peaks. Cârnic is actually a group of several chalets located in a clearing surrounded by forests, just 7 km south of the village of Nucșoara, on the river valley that beyond the mountain is known as Sibisel, but here it brings together the valleys of Stânișoara, Pietrele, Galeșu and others. Nucșoara is a village in the land of Hațeg, in the south of Hunedoara County, located at the foot of Retezat.

Common Trail / Lolaia Valley

Cârnic can be reached by any car on a local road and there is a small parking lot after passing the last chalets. Starting in the idyllic valley, after only 10-15 minutes, we begin to hear the approach of an impressive waterfall louder and louder. Among the most visited and beautiful waterfalls in Retezat and even in the country, the Lolaia Waterfall can be admired just a few hundred meters from the main road, descending on the steps arranged through the forest. With a height of almost 15 meters and split in two by a rock, with a fairly rich flow in any season, as well as the charming surrounding area, the waterfall is a mandatory stop on any climb. Continuing on the forest road (blue strip) that climbs gently for the moment, in approximately an hour and a half (3 km / +350m), we reach the first fork in the hiking trails in Cârnic, next to some wooden bridges where several streams, Stânișoara and Pietrele, meet, and the road turns sharply to the right.

Trails from Pietrele Chalet

If we continue on the road along the blue-banded trail, we reach the Pietrele Chalet in a few minutes, where we have the opportunity to spend the night for longer hikes. From here, a trail marked with a yellow band climbs the Lolaia Ridge and continues to the Retezat Peak, which can be reached in 3-4 hours (5.5 km / +980 m difference in elevation). Another trail starting from the Pietrele Chalet continues along the Stânișoara Valley, being marked with a blue cross until the first intersection, where it splits, the one that continues along the valley having a blue triangle marking.

The blue-banded trail climbs steeply up the Lolaia ridge to the Ciurila saddle, where it meets the yellow-banded trail, then descends straight towards the Râușor resort. The trail that continues along the Stânișoara valley (blue triangle) passes by the splendid Stânișoara waterfalls and the lake of the same name, then climbs towards the Retezat saddle, finally reaching the Retezat peak. The length of the trail from the Pietrele chalet to the peak is around 6 kilometers and the difference in level is almost 1,000 meters (4-5 hours).

Trails on the Pieterle Valley

Back at the first fork before the Pietrele chalet, crossing the wooden bridges, we first enter the blue triangle trail, which splits again after a few minutes, a path with a red triangle marking starts to the left, climbing Valea Rea. Continuing through the forest on the blue triangle, before reaching the former Gențiana chalet, we stop for a few moments near the splendid Maria Magdalena waterfall, located a short distance from our route.

Before reaching Gențiana, there are several more intersections with trails that connect to the Pietrele chalet or to the Rea valley. From the former chalet that recently burned down, the trail continues along the Pietrele valley (blue triangle / red cross / blue stripe) towards Curmătura Bucurei, passing by the rock called Bordu Tomii and by Pietrele Lake. From the first trail intersection (wooden platforms), the trail to the ridge is 5.5 kilometers long and has a difference in elevation of 820 meters (3-4 hours).

Trails on the Rea Valley / Galeșu Valley

Also from Cârnic, you can reach the eastern side of the main peak of Retezat, following the longer and less frequented routes on Valea Rea and Valea Galeșu (Rea and Galeșu Valleys). These split off from the route on the Pietrele valley before the former Gențiana chalet. The route on the Rea valley (yellow triangle) reaches the glacial caldera where there are several superb lakes (Tăurile din Valea Rea), then climbing to Pelegii Saddle, located between the peaks of Peleaga and Păpușa (5.5 km / +900 m / 3-4 hours).

The route along the Galeșu Valley (red triangle) first climbs towards Lake Galeșu, also offering an option (red dot) to pass by Tăul Dintre Brazi, one of the most beautiful lakes in Retezat. From Lake Galeșu, the route forks, one option climbing towards the Pelegii saddle (red cross), and the other continuing to the left, climbing to Mare Peak (red triangle). From the first trail fork in the Rea Valley, the route along the Galeșu Valley to Mare Peak is 6.5 km long and has an elevation gain of almost 1,000 meters (3-4 hours).

Hiking Recommendations

All these hiking trails departing from Cârnic can be done in a single day (10-12 hours) only by more experienced hikers in good physical condition, their length and the difference in level of over 1,000 meters also determining their difficulty. Most of them do not present many technical or very dangerous sections, however, becoming particularly steep at the end, when climbing towards the main ridge. If you still want to admire the almost unreal beauty of Retezat from the ridges, you can spend the night at the Pietrele Chalet or in the camping areas, dividing the hikes into two easier-to-do days. Also, do not venture on the Retezat trails in unfavorable weather conditions, without adequate mountain equipment and do not deviate from the marked trails.