EASY HIKE IDEA WITH SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPES IN THE BUCEGI MOUNTAINS, ROMANIA
Looking for ideas of activities that we could do on the weekend and with the thought of doing an easy and short hike, we came across the route to Scropoasa Lake and the 7 Springs Waterfall. I knew about these two beauties of Bucegi, but I hadn't gotten to see them. After doing my homework about the route, I left the next day, early in the morning, for Zanoaga. The hike itself takes 1-2 hours each way, so we were back in Bucharest at 5:00 p.m.
Below, you will find all the details necessary to hike one of the easiest and at the same time, spectacular routes in the Bucegi Mountains and also, I will tell you about my experience in this area.
HOW TO GET TO THE ENTRANCE ON THE ROUTE TO LAKE SCROPOASA:
The route that we hiked and that I will tell you about in this article starts from Zanoaga Camping.
The simplest and fastest road, from Bucharest, is: DN1 ➡️at Sinaia, left on DN71 ➡️ right on DJ713 ➡️ right on DJ714 or set Zanoaga Camping on the navigator and it will guide you to the starting location of the route.
The area is quite far from civilization and there is no public transport. The only option to get there is either by personal car or by buying a trip from a travel agency.
Regarding parking, don't worry, because right next to the campsite there are two free parkings. There is enough parking space even on the busiest days.
THE HIKE TO LAKE SCROPOASA AND 7 SPRINGS WATERFALL:
Before entering the route, a fee of 10 lei/person must be paid. It is paid on the spot, in cash, to one of the park employees present at the location since the early hours of the morning.
The route is very well marked and follows the blue cross marking.
The path of the hike starts near the Zanoaga Camping. Right after the camping, there is a well-beaten path, in a clearing, easy to see, so you will find the entrance to the trail quite easily. Leaving the clearing behind, one enters the forest, following the stream of water. After a few steps, we crossed the stream on a metal footbridge built quite recently.
From place to place, there are signs with the wild animals that live in the Bucegi Mountains. Obviously, there are also warnings about bears. Fortunately, I didn't meet any, even though we were the first on the route that morning. Moreover, a meeting with the bear is very unlikely, considering the fact that the path becomes quite crowded on weekends.
The route has no landscape changes, it is mostly through the forest, and the only changes are that we move from one side of the river to the other. Nor are there any very big level differences. Besides, the path is not straight and easy to walk, but rocky, with large pieces of stones.
I chose one of the best periods to do this route (I think), in October, when the trees offer a real show of color. Although in the first part of the morning there was fog, after 10 o'clock the sun also appeared, and the trees looked even more spectacular.
Arriving in the clearing of the lake, where the Scropoasa cabin is also located, the route divides into two paths. On the left side, on the forest road you go up to the waterfall, and on the right side you go along the shore of Lake Scropoasa. We chose to go first to the waterfall, which is quite close to the clearing, then to linger on the shore of the lake and look for the most photographed place in the area.
After about 5-10 minutes of climbing, on the left side, you can admire the wonderful 7 Springs Waterfall. I have to admit, I didn't have high expectations, but it's better that way, because I was able to be pleasantly surprised, and the colors of the trees gave a special air to the landscape.
There are all kinds of theories about the water of the waterfall, but none based on scientific evidence. One of them is that the water of these springs is the purest in the world.
Returning to Poiana Scropoasa, we entered the last part of the route, which also pleasantly surprised me. Basically, I followed the path to the left and went to a footbridge, where I found the perfect landscape. It is also the most photographed place that I have seen through social media.
On the shore, right next to the path, there are picnic spots, with benches made of logs, where you can relax and enjoy the scenery. The lake has an absolutely fascinating color, and with the trees reflecting in it, the landscape looks like something out of a fairy tale. Although it is an artificial dam lake, it does not make it any less spectacular, and the landscape conquered me.
The dam was built in the interwar period, for hydropower purposes, and nowadays, it is also used for leisure. The maximum depth of the lake is 15 meters.
Many hikers end their hike at this point. From here, you can continue the route and keep following the blue cross marking. After about 10-15 minutes of walking and climbing a little, you will be able to enjoy the scenery of Orza's Gorges.
Cheile Orzei (Orza's Gorges) is located at the back of the slope, and the route has been disrupted many times over time by floods, for this reason it is not very popular. Being so close to the most photographed corner of Lake Scropoasa, it is definitely worth a short hike there.
On the way back, next to the Scropoasa cabin, there was also a place where you could eat, so we let ourselves be seduced by the smell of mici (traditional Romanian food that look like sausages). I made a stop there, before starting the hike back to Zanoaga. There were also some stray dogs in the area, but fortunately for us, they were quite friendly.
The same route is used on the way back as well, so you will have to climb everything you came down on the way to the lake (not very much). However, it is an easy route that can be easily covered by both the elderly and children. I recommend, however, enough caution when you walk, the path becomes very slippery, if there is moisture deposited on the stones.
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN THE AREA:
The area is quite touristy and there are quite a few routes you can follow, if you have more time:
- yellow cross hiking trail - Bolboci cabin to Miorita cabin, 2.5-3 hours;
- red triangle hiking trail - Hotel Pestera - Saua Batrana - Moieciu de Sus - 8 hours;
- red line hiking trail - Padina Cabin - Saua Bucsa - Fundatica village - 6 hours;
- red cross hiking trail - Padina Cabin - Saua Strunga - Moieciu de Sus - 7 hours;
- blue cross hiking trail - Padina Cabin - Babele - 2.5 hours;
Touristy spots:
Lake Bolboci and Cheile Tatarului - located 15 minutes away by car from the Zanoaga campsite. For Cheile Tatarului, you must follow the unpaved road from the Bolboci Cabin;
Ialomita Cave and Monastery - located at a distance that can be traveled by car in approximately 30 minutes;
Turbaria Laptici - is a swamp of Bucegi, declared a protected area.
WHERE DO YOU STAY NEAR LAKE SCROPOASA?
If you want to spend more time in the area, which I recommend, I leave some accommodation recommendations, below:
- Hotel Belmont - accommodation unit rated at 4 stars, which has double rooms or suites. It also has an indoor pool, fitness room, SPA area, bar, restaurant and parking;
- MountHoff Retreat - accommodation unit with double or family rooms. It has a garden and a barbecue area;
- Chalet Alpina - accommodation unit with double rooms, or house type, which can be fully rented and can accommodate up to 20 people;
- Hotel Pestera - accommodation unit with double, twin or suite rooms. It has an indoor pool, bar, restaurant and parking.
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE ROUTE TO LAKE SCROPOASA AND CASCADE 7 SPRINGS:
The route to Scropoasa Lake and the 7 Springs Waterfall is one of the easiest and, at the same time, one of the most beautiful routes in Bucegi. It is worth visiting it either as a day trip from Brasov, Bucharest, or any other locality in the area, or to reserve a whole weekend to explore the area. Although it is a fairly easy hike, the mountain should never be underestimated, so use a minimum of equipment, especially boots that support the ankle.
During the winter, this becomes a difficult route, and I recommend that you do it only if you have experience on such hiking paths.
!!!!!Following the malicious comments, I want to make a clarification. Lake Scropoasa can change its color depending on the season, weather, or light. Floods and torrential rains can raise the water level a lot and can bring different waste, branches, or logs, which can change the appearance of the landscape. If the landscape does not look like in my photos, it does not mean that I have edited or embellished the reality. This article is written based on my experience, and the photos have a minimum of editing, which does not change the appearance and the natural color of the landscape of that day. Don't forget that nature is unpredictable, and if you don't have the same experience as me, that doesn't mean that what I show you in this article is a lie.
I also filmed a travel vlog, find it on my Youtube channel.
Read also about another hike in Romania: route to Moldoveanu Peak, Macin Mountains, Cabana Curmatura, Cabana Malaiesti. You can also read about other destinations from Romania: Sfantu Gheorghe, the Danube Delta, the Danube Gorge, seaside destinations, or Manasia Mansion.
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