Curmătura Saddle from Zărnești

A forested climb on Piatra Craiului's eastern flank from the Fântâna lui Botorog spring outside Zărnești to Cabana Curmătura at 1,470 m. Steady yellow-band switchbacks through beech forest reach the open shoulder of Poiana Zănoaga before a final push to the hut, which sits directly under the massif's towering limestone wall. Moderate distance and elevation gain make it a solid half-day out-and-back for hikers with basic fitness.

Moderate8.9 km4 h 30 min↑ 650 m gainSummit 1,470 m

Hero image: “The ridge of the Piatra Craiului Mountains from the road” by Horia Varlan, Wikimedia Commons/Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · CC BY 2.0 · Source

Overview

The yellow-band trail leaves the Fântâna lui Botorog spring, about 3.5 km up a partly unpaved access road from Zărnești, and climbs at once into dense beech forest on a series of tight switchbacks, the steepest and most sustained stretch of the whole route. After roughly 2 km the trail eases onto Poiana Zănoaga, a grassy shoulder at about 1,300 m where a blue-marked side trail splits off toward Vârful Piatra Mică and a shepherd's sheepfold sometimes keeps dogs nearby. From there the gradient softens through rooty, mixed forest, passing the small Refugiul Salvamont Curmătura rescue post about fifteen minutes below the destination, before reaching Cabana Curmătura, a stone-and-timber refuge built in 1936-1937 and tucked into a saddle at 1,470 m on the mountain's eastern slope. The payoff is right on the hut's terrace: the sheer grey-white limestone wall of Piatra Craiului's eastern face rises more than 500 vertical meters directly behind and above you toward Vârful Ascuțit and Turnul, while in the opposite direction the Bârsa depression opens out below, with the rooftops of Zărnești and the forested hills beyond fading into haze on a clear day. The hut serves hot food, cold drinks, and has spring water on site, making it a natural turnaround point before retracing the same trail back down to the trailhead.

At a glance

Distance: 8.9 km
Time: 4 hr 30 min
Elevation: ↑ 650 m · 820–1470 m
Route: Out and back

ModerateRound trip covers just under 9 km with about 650 m of steady elevation gain, most of it packed into the roughly 2 km of switchbacks between the trailhead and Poiana Zănoaga on a well-marked but rooty, sometimes slippery forest trail. There is no scrambling or exposure to falls, but the sustained, unbroken climb, the lack of a dependable primary water source before the hut, and nearly 650 m of total ascent put this solidly in moderate territory rather than easy.

Route and directions

Numbered markers trace the waypoints from the trailhead. Use the buttons to open the trailhead in an external map app for driving directions. Links open in a new tab.

Loading route map. The waypoint list below includes the critical details.

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Access, season, and cautions

Access

From Brașov, drive southwest via Predeal-Râșnov on DN73/DN73A to Zărnești, about 25 km and 30-35 minutes. In Zărnești, follow signs toward Piatra Craiului National Park / Fântâna lui Botorog and continue about 3.5 km; the final stretch turns to dirt road but is passable in any car in dry weather. Free roadside parking is available at the spring, though it fills up and forms long queues on summer weekends; arrive early or consider a short taxi ride from Zărnești.

No permit required, but Piatra Craiului National Park charges a small entry fee (around 5 RON / 1 EUR) from 1 May to 31 October, payable at the ticket point near the trailhead or in advance online; children under 14 enter free. Stay on marked trails and keep dogs leashed inside the park.

Season: Best from May to October, when the trail is dry and Cabana Curmătura is staffed daily. Snow and ice typically hold on the upper switchbacks from November through April, requiring crampons and winter mountaineering experience. The shoulder months of April and November often bring muddy, partly icy trail in the shaded forest sections even when Zărnești itself is snow-free.

Cautions

Slippery, root-covered or rocky sections of trail, especially after rain or in shaded stretches that stay damp for days
Springs partway up near a wooden bench and beside the cabin usually flow, but they can run low in dry summer spells; carry at least 1.5-2 liters as a backup
Shepherd's dogs guard a sheepfold in Poiana Zănoaga; they are usually calm in daylight but keep your distance and avoid sudden movements
Trail can ice over and become dangerous without crampons from roughly November through April
Sudden afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer; start early and watch the sky above the ridge

Waypoints

Trailhead: Fântâna lui Botorog spring (820 m) — Spring, roadside parking, and trail register at the edge of Piatra Craiului National Park; yellow-band markers begin here, about 3.5 km from central Zărnești.
Forest entrance — The access road narrows and the yellow-band trail climbs into dense beech forest.
Steep switchback section — Steepest, most sustained climbing of the route, over exposed roots and loose ground.
Poiana Zănoaga junction (1,300 m) — Open grassy shoulder where a blue-marked trail splits north-northwest toward Vârful Piatra Mică; a shepherd's sheepfold sits nearby. Stay on the yellow band.
Refugiul Salvamont Curmătura (1,450 m) — Small mountain-rescue post roughly fifteen minutes below Cabana Curmătura, on the yellow-band trail.
Cabana Curmătura (1,470 m) — High point and turnaround; the refuge, built in 1936-1937, serves hot food and drinks beneath the eastern wall of Piatra Craiului. Retrace the same trail back to the trailhead.

Gallery

“Prăpăstiile Zărneştilor canyon, Piatra Craiului, Romania” by Petr Vodička, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via User:PetrVod/permission · Source

Sources

Romania: easy hike near Brasov: From Zarnesti to Cabana Curmatura, Piatra Craiului Mountains (en, retrieved 2026-07-02)
Traseu Fântâna lui Botorog - Cabana Curmătura via Poiana Zănoaga (ro, retrieved 2026-07-02)
Cabana Curmătura din Piatra Craiului - trasee spre cabană și spre creastă (ro, retrieved 2026-07-02)
Piatra Craiului Romania day hike – Zărneşti Canyon and Curmătura Chalet (en, retrieved 2026-07-02)

Curmătura Saddle from Zărnești

Moderate8.9 km4 h 30 min↑ 650 m gainSummit 1,470 m

Hero image: “The ridge of the Piatra Craiului Mountains from the road” by Horia Varlan, Wikimedia Commons/Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · CC BY 2.0 · Source

Overview

At a glance

Distance

8.9 km

Time

4 hr 30 min

Elevation

↑ 650 m · 820–1470 m

Route

Out and back

Access, season, and cautions

Access

Cautions

Slippery, root-covered or rocky sections of trail, especially after rain or in shaded stretches that stay damp for days
Springs partway up near a wooden bench and beside the cabin usually flow, but they can run low in dry summer spells; carry at least 1.5-2 liters as a backup
Shepherd's dogs guard a sheepfold in Poiana Zănoaga; they are usually calm in daylight but keep your distance and avoid sudden movements
Trail can ice over and become dangerous without crampons from roughly November through April
Sudden afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer; start early and watch the sky above the ridge

Waypoints

Trailhead: Fântâna lui Botorog spring (820 m) — Spring, roadside parking, and trail register at the edge of Piatra Craiului National Park; yellow-band markers begin here, about 3.5 km from central Zărnești.

Forest entrance — The access road narrows and the yellow-band trail climbs into dense beech forest.

Steep switchback section — Steepest, most sustained climbing of the route, over exposed roots and loose ground.

Poiana Zănoaga junction (1,300 m) — Open grassy shoulder where a blue-marked trail splits north-northwest toward Vârful Piatra Mică; a shepherd's sheepfold sits nearby. Stay on the yellow band.

Refugiul Salvamont Curmătura (1,450 m) — Small mountain-rescue post roughly fifteen minutes below Cabana Curmătura, on the yellow-band trail.

Cabana Curmătura (1,470 m) — High point and turnaround; the refuge, built in 1936-1937, serves hot food and drinks beneath the eastern wall of Piatra Craiului. Retrace the same trail back to the trailhead.