After this point the route is marked with a blue triangle placed on orientation pillars. You’ll have to walk on the asphalted road for about 2 km, until you’ll reach an intersection from which the route goes on the dirt road from your left. This is also the point where many tourists prefer to leave their cars.

Izvorul Muntelui chalet (797 m) – Dochia stone (1185 m) – Dochia chalet
Markings: blue dot (from Izvorul Muntelui chalet until the intersection with the asphalted road) and then blue triangle
Difficulty: medium (during hard winters or in heavy fog conditions the upper part of the route can be dangerous)

The trail goes through a valley guarded by Rachitis’s Foot on its left and along Izvorul Alb creek. The scenery is spectacular and soon the valley becomes narrow. At some point you’ll have to cross a small water stream so waterproof boots are required.

You continue to follow the trail that goes through numerous limestone formations until you’ll reach Dochia Stone. Under this stone there is a fresh creek that will help you cool off in hot summer days. You cross Poiana Izvoarelor plane and then you enter the forest on a steep trail.

At some point the trail will exit the forest and you’ll see Toaca peak on your right. The trail twists itself through small pine trees. As you climb, a spectacular view opens behind you with Izvorul Muntelui Lake in the background.

This is the last portion of the route and soon you’ll reach Dochia chalet. A word of caution regarding hiking during winter on this route: the upper part can be dangerous after a heavy snowfall or on thick fog.

Marking: red triangle, from Saua Cupaşului red circle
Time to make the route: 3 hours
Distance: 5 km
Level difference: 425 m, difficult to make during winter

During winter this hiking route is difficult to make and we recommend full equipment in order to enjoy the beauty of the mountain fully secured.

The route starts at km 29 from the National Road 12C and the markings are red triangles (the starting point is localized right after the tunnel exit, on the first parking on the right). From the start, you’ll be facing the mountain, climbing on a narrow trail between tall firs. Your efforts are quickly reworded by a spectacular frozen waterfall on Lapos Creek.

We are now in Lapos Canyon: on our left, along the trail, we can see Cupas Rock – on the right Lapos Creek with small waterfalls bordered by an enormous rock wall. After a while the hiking becomes easier and soon we leave the canyon behind us.

The route goes now to La Sodron where there are some hay storehouses of local villagers. From here, the trail continues to the left towards Saua Cupas, the last hiking portion of this route. On top of this hill there is a belvedere point to the surrounding peeks, the most well known being Suhardul Mare (1504,2 m) and Suhardul Mic (1344,5 m).

The descent will be made by way of the red circle marking. From Saua Cupas you’ll go to the left until you reach the forest. There the trail continues until the intersection with the forest road, which is easy to recognize by the electric poles. At this intersection, go left and you’ll continue to walk until you reach the National Road DN 12C, a couple of hundred of meters from the starting point.

The route starts on the national road DN12C, right before the place called Poarta de Piatra (The Stone Door). From here the trail enters the forest and climbs to the base of the Stone “Piatra Maria” where your eyes are drawn to the big pieces of rock torn apart from the big stone. After this point the road takes you through the forest and on a vast plane called Saua Tifra, located at 1002 m altitude, from where you can see the Valley of the Bicajel. Before your eyes is one of the most spectacular scenery you’ll ever see: enormous rocks that seem to guard the entrance in the Bicajel Valley.

The steps take us through the small village called Bicajel which seems to have a special something: it seems separated from the rest of the world. Almost frozen in time, like a memory of how a true mountain village used to look many, many years ago. After we pass the village we reach a forest-road from where we can admire the stones Suhardul Mic, Gradina Zanelor and Fagetul Ciucului. It doesn’t take long and we arrived in the center of the resort Lacul Rosu. The total length of the hiking route is about 3,5 km. When you return you can do it on the national road and admire the famous Cheile Bicazului under ice.