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Hard Hiking Trails in Romania

We track 247 routes that match this search in Romania. They average 44.1 km and 1,026 m (3,366 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 1254 km.

That is 31 percent of the 802 routes we map in Romania. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 44.1 km against 18.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,026 m (3,366 ft) on average versus 428 m (1,404 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Teiu Zânii
Expert

Via Transilvanica Terra Dacica

Alba · Romania

Distance
281 km
/ 174 mi
Elevation gain
3,923 m
Typical duration
72 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Sat Butești, comuna Horea
Hard

sat Albac - sat Horea

Parcul Natural Apuseni · Alba

Distance
14.4 km
/ 9.0 mi
Elevation gain
848 m
Typical duration
4 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Panorama Scarita-Belioara
Expert

Maratonul Apuseni

Alba · Romania

Distance
41.9 km
/ 26.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,799 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Cormaia - Șaua Obârșia Rebrii

Rodna Mountains National Park · Bistrița-Năsăud

Distance
24.7 km
/ 15.3 mi
Elevation gain
543 m
Typical duration
6 hr 15 min
  • Waymarked route
Inter-nyet?
Expert

Rimetea - Colțești - Vidolm

Alba · Romania

Distance
24.2 km
/ 15.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,202 m
Typical duration
8 hr 37 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Pietroasa - Valea Galbenei - Șaua Ponița - ArieșeniParcul Natural Apuseni25.0 km1,019 m7 hr 3 minHardApril to October
Șaua Vârtop - Șaua VărășoaiaParcul Natural Apuseni17.0 km857 m4 hr 54 minHardApril to October
sat Gârda de Sus - Șaua VărășoaiaParcul Natural Apuseni31.7 km1,178 m8 hr 53 minExpertApril to October
European long distance path E8 - part RomaniaAlba1254 km14,939 m320 hrExpertJuly to September
Via Transilvanica Terra DacicaAlba281 km3,923 m72 hrExpertApril to October
Tureni - Piatra Secuiului - Cabana Râmeț - Platoul Ciumerna - Poiana cu narcise de la NegrileasaAlba111 km3,227 m30 hrExpertApril to October
Bucerdea Vinoasă - Modolești - CeteaAlba37.3 km1,838 m11 hrExpertApril to October
sat Albac - Valea Ordâncușei (la Moara lui Ivan)Parcul Natural Apuseni18.7 km1,423 m6 hr 9 minHardApril to October
European long distance path E3 - part RomaniaAlba675 km8,771 m173 hrExpertApril to October
Traseul de creasta principală a Munții Rodnei: Pasul Rotunda – Pasul Șetref (red stripe)Rodna Mountains National Park67.5 km1,485 m17 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Pietroasa - Valea Galbenei - Șaua Ponița - Arieșeni, Șaua Vârtop - Șaua Vărășoaia, sat Gârda de Sus - Șaua Vărășoaia. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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