Creasta Făgărașului
ROLive- 93
- km
- 6
- stages
- +6 931
- m ascent
- −5 916
- m descent
Stages, times and the profile follow the direction you pick.
Difficulty
Hard
avg +1,155 m/day · 15.5 km/day · hardest day +2,129 m
Derived from distance and ascent, not terrain grade — not a SAC or T-scale rating.
The Făgăraș main ridge is the longest high crest in the Romanian Carpathians. This route climbs out of the Olt valley to the ridge and follows it east on the red stripe: over Negoiu (2,535 m), across the Transfăgărășan road above Bâlea Lac, past Podragu and Viștea Mare — from where a short detour leads to Moldoveanu (2,544 m), the highest summit in Romania — and on along the crest to Comisu before descending to Cabana Plaiul Foii above Zărnești. Long stretches stay above 2,000 m, with chains and exposed sections around Negoiu. The nights are in the small unguarded ridge refuges; there is no village on the crest.
Your own day-by-day draft. The stages below are the trail's published ones; your plan is set by the days you have.
Overnight network: dense
16
Mapped overnight places along the route
16 overnight places · 3 potable water
14 shelters · 2 huts
+8 more within 2 km off route
Statistics
- 2 522
- m highest
- 356
- m lowest
- +6 931
- m ascent
- −5 916
- m descent
- 15.5
- km/day
- 6
- stages
Hardest stage Valea Oltului → Refugiul Portița Avrigului +2 129 m
Stages
6-stage division of the Făgăraș main ridge (Valea Oltului → Cabana Plaiul Foii, OSM relation 2069749) on the 2026-10-24 line; every night at a ridge refuge in Bivaq; owner B 2026-10-24 · updated 2026-10-24
Good to know
- Route
- Valea Oltului → Cabana Plaiul Foii
- Season
- July–September
- Daylight
- 15 h 21 mid-July · 12 h 28 mid-September
- Waymarking
- Red stripe
- Managed by
- Salvamont / local mountain clubs
- Overnight: the ridge refuges (refugii) are small, unguarded and free — they can be full, damaged or vandalised (a 2025 report found one wrecked). Carry a tent or bivy as a fallback. Check current rules for camping in the Natura 2000 area before you go.
- Bears: the Făgăraș holds many brown bears, also on the ridge and around Bâlea and the Transfăgărășan. Keep food sealed and away from where you sleep; feeding bears is illegal in Romania, with heavy fines.
- Terrain: exposed sections with chains around Negoiu (Strunga Dracului and Custura Sărății) — hard when wet or icy. Snow lingers into early summer; July to September is the usual window.
- Water: springs and tarns lie below the crest; the ridge itself is dry. Plan refills at the lakes (Bâlea, Podragu, Urlea) and below the refuges.
- Getting there and out: the Transfăgărășan crosses the ridge at Bâlea Lac (road open only in summer) — an exit in bad weather. The route ends at Cabana Plaiul Foii, a few hours' walk or a ride above Zărnești.
Route & elevation: OSM relation 2069749 (Făgăraș main ridge, Valea Oltului → Cabana Plaiul Foii) + Copernicus GLO-30, 2026-10-24 · imported 2026-10-24
Elevation figures · full-res GPX, 10 m threshold
© OpenStreetMap contributors · Terrain: © Copernicus DEM GLO-30
Plan your nights on Creasta Făgărașului.
The planner lays out your days by where the roofs on the trail are, and shows where you need another option.