This hiking route is one of the most used on the west side of Ceahlau Mountain. During winter, because of the high quantities of snow from Ocolasul Mic the route is not recommended. The time necessary to make this hiking route is between 4 and 6 hours (depending on how well trained the group is). The length of the route is about 9 km and the marking is a red line.

The hike will start in front of Izvorul Muntelui chalet. After you look one more time at Dochia chalet, anticipating the moment when you’ll be on top of Ceahlau Mountain, you take your backpack and start walking on the road that goes from Izvorul Muntelui to Durau Resort. After the first curve to the right you’ll see the first red line markings.

The trail will cross the car-road two more times before entering into the forest of beech and fir. Shortly after, on your left you’ll see Maicilor Creek. After an hour you’ll have to cross it at the base of Jgheabul Armenilor Gutter. The trail goes up and it doesn’t take too long to reach Poana Maicilor Plane. You continue to hike through the plane until you’ll reach the steel pillar that marks the point where you enter the forest again.

Once you reached that pillar we recommend taking a moment to admire the scenery. For that purpose go along the ridge until you’ll reach an old sheepfold. From there, looking back to the forest you’ll see the entire Ocolasul Mic Stone Wall. If you also have with you a person that knows the mountain and the stones you’ll see starting from your left: the stone “Turnul lui Butu si Ana” (The Tower of Butu and Ana) (the locals also call it Budu or Budei), the stone „Asezatoarea Oilor”, the stone „Caciula lui Ciuperca”, Vanturis Peak, the stone „Matura Vrajitoareai” (Witch Broom), Jgheabul Armenilor Gutter. These are only few of the stones that have names in Ceahlau.

After that you continue the hike and after few twists in the trail you’ll reach the base of Jgheabul Clailor Gutter. The trail has on the right Vanturis Peak and on the left the stone “Caciula lui Ciuperca”. Once you reach the top of this portion you’ll see two pointy rocks that seem to go straight from the ground. These stones are called “Claile lui Miron”. After that the trail reaches a plane and on the far side you can see a rock formation called “Masa Dacica”. The trail goes through the right and not after long enters in the forest again.

The trail descents a while after going up again. At some point the slope becomes steeper and you climb with two big stones on both sides of the trail: the stone “Piatra Lata din Ghedeon” (on the right) and the stone “Piatra Viperei” (Viper’s Stone on the left). From here you’ll reach the camping from Dochia Chalet and after 15 minutes you’ll reach the top. From here the view is spectacular: now you can rest a while and admire Ceahlau Mountain in all its beauty before descending back to Izvorul Muntelui. See all the routes from Ceahlau Massif.