Access on White Stones Circuit from the village of Răchițele in the Stanciului Valley. From Cluj-Napoca there are 90 km, which can be covered by road in 1 hour and 45 minutes via DN1, DN1R, DJ108C and another 4 k on the Stanciului Valley on an unpaved but good road. Li from Zalău is the same distance and time via DN1F, DN1G, and from Huedin the same route as before. You can park near the Chalet Vălul Miresei.
Vlădeasa Mountains constitute the northern group of Apuseni Mountains. Maximum altitude is reached in Vlădeasa Peak at 1836 meters above sea level. The limits of Vlădeasa Mountains are: to the North the Crișului Repede Valley, to the West the Pădurea Craiului Mountains, to the South the Bihor Mountains (the highest in the Apuseni Mountains), and to the East the Săcuieului and Hențului Valleys.
White Stones are accessible both from the North from the Vlădeasa Hut, and from the South from Răchițele and the Vălul Miresei Waterfall. The latter is also the most spectacular route and presented here. It includes a visit to the Vălul Miresei Waterfall, an abandoned mine, several lookout points and a bonus of a natural limestone arch.
(click on objectives for extended version)
Difficulty: medium
Duration / distance: about 7 hours, 15 km
Marking: red triangle, red dot, red dot, blue dot, yellow dot, blue dot, red dot
Water sources: Stanciului spring (at the start), Stanciului Valley, Dry Valley (point 9)
Minimum altitude: 920 mdm at the start
Maximum altitude: 1510 meters, on the summit of Pietrele Albe, point 16 on the map
Level difference: about +710 m / -710 m
Remarks: There are no signposts at points (10 and 20) at the entry/exit point. The trails to all lookout points (16 for the archway, 17 for the lookout) are not prominently marked and visibly marked. It is necessary to supply yourself with water, between points 10 and 20 there are no water sources (about 3 hours). The trail is practicable all year round.
20-30 minutes / 1.3 km / easy / red dot
We follow the forest road up the Stanciului Valley, through the forest. The road is closed to traffic. We take a gentle walk. Before the waterfall there is a wooden shelter. Wow! How beautiful Vălul Miresei Waterfall!
Chalet Vălul Miresei
to the waterfall
Stanciului Valley
Vălul Miresei Waterfall
Vălul Miresei Waterfall is also called Răchițele Waterfall. It formed in the Stanciului Valley as a spectacular waterfall 30 meters high. Its name is in my opinion very suggestive. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Romania. At the bottom of the valley, at the foot of the waterfall, is the wooden bridge from where tourists photograph the spectacular waterfall.
Legend has it that a long time ago a bride fell off a cliff and her veil was left hanging there. The tears of the bride and groom would have formed the waterfall.
at the Vălul Miresei Waterfall
water spray
Vălul Miresei Waterfall
60 minutes / 3.5 km / easy / red dot between milestones 3-8, blue dot between 8-9 and yellow dot between 9-10
A steep trail can be climbed up a steep path to the right of the waterfall in the direction of the waterfall, but requires caution. There is a large map near the shelter. The trail marked with red dot continue on the forest road winding up a serpentine to reach the top of the waterfall where there is a small lookout point with limited access due to the danger of falling into the void.
In 15 minutes we meet on the left Vlădeasa Mountain Rescue Refuge (pt 7) and on the right the signposts. We will continue by blue dot. Be aware that on this route you may encounter bears.
After another 45 minutes we are at an intersection of several trails (pt 9). We leave the forest road and change track from now on yellow dot marking (the rightmost road). In 10 minutes we reach the real start of the White Stones circuit (pt 10). There is a yellow arrow on a tree below the marker. This point should have been marked here with a signpost, especially as the path coming from the right is poorly visible.
through the bear's habitat
Thank you Vlădeasa Mountain Rescue!
crossroads
to the right
there's a spring here
here the circuit starts
90 minutes / 2.2 km / easy to medium / yellow dot
We continue as indicated by the arrow on the clearer route on the left. After only 5 minutes we reach a mine on the right side of the path. You can enter the mine with your own light source. The mine has several directions in which it develops, as is evident from a cross intersection to where we entered.
We start to climb somewhat more obviously through the increasingly sparse coniferous forest among the blueberry and ash trees. We reach the ridge on another forest road, and turn right to reach an important junction of tourist trails.
We're at the entry point on the White Stones ridge (pt 13), and the scenery is already breathtaking.
the uphill direction of the circuit
the path climbs up the rock
mine
a mine with many galleries
White Stones
by affinity
bookmarking
1-2 hours / about 2 km / easy to medium / yellow dot
We are on White Stones Ridge. It is the highlight of this hike, so we will fully savor, without haste, every landscape, every perspective that opens to our eyes. The main ridge route is very well marked. We met a team of volunteers who were refreshing the markers, a great team that deserves all the appreciation. Incidentally they helped us with detail information that we could not have noticed on our own. Our route, almost flat, continues partly along the lip of the cliff, partly through the forest. Somewhere in the middle of the ridge is a belvedere point remarkable where we also take lunch break (pt 16).
Immediately after this (see the picture of the arrow on the rock), if we walk carefully along the base of the cliff, which rises from the path, opposite the arrow, downhill, we reach the most spectacular point of the circuit, but hidden from many tourists. It is a natural limestone arch, which can be seen from above and below, with white, fluffy popcorn waving in the breeze. It's wow, wow, wow!
Return to the marked trail (pt 16) and walk through the forest to reach another poorly marked point (pt 17), where on a tree trunk below the usual sign is another doubled one and a yellow-white arrow. To the right we reach the ridge again in 5 mins. In the extremity is the final one, with a wonderful view of the route we have climbed.
intersection
White Stones (from the ridge)
in single file by the precipice
group photo
Thanks for the bookmarks!
a bit through the woods
Belvedere and resting place
to the portal just below the precipice
portal deviation
living color between the rocks
the hidden portal
flowers waved by the wind
view from under the arcade
natural arcade
short passages through the forest
White Stones cliff
belvedere marker
to the belvedere
limestone towers
high view
overview
50 minutes / 1.3 km / easy / yellow dot
Back on the trail marked with the yellow dot, we go around the edge of the cliff to the right. As we descend we look back down the deep chasm we were above. At point 20 the actual circuit closes, and from here to the terminus we follow the same route as on the ascent.
back to the marked route
White Stones
Unsignalized intersection
90 minutes / 4.5 km / easy / yellow dot, blue dot, red dot
On the way down we stopped again for 15 minutes at Vălul Miresei Waterfall to steal her unmistakable image, if I couldn't find the bride.
we close the circuit
afternoon
Lespezi Peak
Răchițele Waterfall
White Stones Circuit is a spectacular one, accessible to all hikers who want to exercise in the fresh air in the mountains. It offers superb views with many vantage points and passes by one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Romania, the Vălul Miresei Waterfall.
All the best!
Steps:
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