Cheile Turzii Both Slopes Hike

Part of the Carpații Occidentali (the Western Carpathians), Munții Apuseni (Apuseni Mountains) Munții Trascaului.

Parking: There are several paid parking areas close to the start of the trail, including near Cabana Cheile Turzii.

Trail: The trail starts at Cabana Cheile Turzii. We began by climbing the right slope, following a forest path before reaching a few rocky sections. Eventually, you’ll arrive at the plateau.

The descent follows a rocky path before continuing over grassy hills until you reach the river. From here, you can follow the river back to the starting point. Be careful, though, it can be slippery because of the many rocky sections, and you’ll need to cross the river over several bridges.

Instead, we decided to climb the left slope as well. This ascent starts across grassy hills before entering the forest and eventually reaching the plateau. The descent is mostly through the forest, and you’ll cross one final bridge before returning to the starting point.

GPX: You can see the trail, on Muntii Nostrii, here.

When did we do this trail? We completed it in April 2026.

Trail Facts

Trail type	loop
Distance	~8 km
Duration	5 hours with breaks
Elevation gain	~ 690 m
Difficulty	Moderate (the rocky sections can be slippery)
Trail marking	Red Dot
Access	From Cabana Cheile Turzii
Water sources	I think there is one at the cabin, not sure. There is one iI believe there’s one near the cabin, although I’m not completely sure. If you return along the river, you’ll find another one, and there’s also a spring slightly off the trail near the beginning of the left-side climb.
Hiked in	April 2026

This was the first time we hiked both slopes in a single day. Before this, we had done the right side with the return along the river, and we had also completed the left side starting from Cascada Ciucaș and returning the same way.

After parking the car nearby, we walked over to Cabana Cheile Turzii, where the trail begins.

Since we had already done this hike several times, I didn’t take nearly as many photos as usual. The beginning of the trail takes you through a beautiful forest before opening into clearings, with a few rocky sections along the way, and then back into the forest before reaching the plateau. This is a very popular trail, so it’s easy to follow even if you don’t immediately spot the trail markings.

Because we visited in April, I was lucky enough to see some beautiful wildflowers. One of them, I believe, was the dwarf Russian almond.

I also spotted Dedițel, as well as one of my favorite flowers, the Iris (Stânjenel).

As you get closer to the plateau, you’ll come across several clearings with beautiful viewpoints, like the one below.

And then it was time for one of my favorite hiking games: Can I spot the car? From here, we could actually see where we had started the hike, including Cabana Cheile Turzii.

Soon after, we reached the plateau. It’s a lovely place to take a break, with several benches where you can sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery.

After our break, we started the descent. It’s a little steep in places but nothing too difficult. The trail alternates between open clearings, rocky sections, and grassy hillsides.

The descent eventually brings you down to the river. From there, you can either continue your hike by climbing the opposite slope, as we did, or simply follow the river back to the parking area. The riverside path is mostly flat, but it’s one of the busiest sections of the trail and can be slippery because of the rocks. You’ll also cross several bridges over Valea Hășdate.

While taking our break, we spotted a very cute lizard, a Gușter.

Since our plan was to complete both slopes, after spending a little time admiring the gorge, we started the second climb. This ascent begins across grassy hills before entering the forest. Along the way you’ll pass through more clearings, rocky sections, and areas with tall shrubs before finally reaching the plateau once again.