4 easy trails on Măgura Codlei, near Râșnov
Not every day in the mountains has to be a long hike. On Măgura Codlei, the mountain above the town of Codlea, there are four easy trails that take at most two and a half hours, perfect for a free morning or afternoon.
All four are among the six trails on Măgura Codlei officially approved in 2021. The marking, length, duration and difficulty below come from the official approval list (the certificates of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism of 19 May 2021, published by the Codlea Tourist Promotion Service), read on 19 October 2026. For each trail you will also find the link to its full page in the Local Guide.
Trail: Zona Carieră (Codlea) – Poiana lui Rușeț – Măgura Codlei Peak (blue cross)
Blue cross, from Zona Carieră, via Poiana lui Rușeț, to the top of Măgura Codlei. 5.5 km, 2 h – 2 h 30 min, easy.
The yellow dot trail from Ștrandul Codlea (the town's open-air pool) also reaches Zona Carieră, so the two can be joined into a single hike.
Trail: Codlea (Zona Maial) – Poiana Mărul Dulce – Măgura Codlei Peak (red triangle)
Red triangle, from Zona Maial, via Poiana Mărul Dulce, to the top of Măgura Codlei. 4.8 km, 2 h – 2 h 30 min, easy.
Trail: Codlea (Zona Maial) – Poiana Mărul Dulce – Black Fortress (blue triangle)
Blue triangle, from Zona Maial, via Poiana Mărul Dulce, to the Black Fortress (Cetatea Neagră). 5.1 km, 1 h 30 min – 2 h, easy: the shortest on the list by duration.
It is the only one with a historic destination: only ruins remain of the Black Fortress (Schwarzburg), and its story is on the fortress page in the Local Guide.
Trail: Codlea (Zona Maial) – Ștrandul Codlea – Zona Carieră (yellow dot)
Yellow dot, from Zona Maial, past Ștrandul Codlea, to Zona Carieră. 4.6 km, 2 h – 2 h 30 min, easy.
It does not climb to the peak: it links Zona Maial with Zona Carieră, where the blue cross starts, if you want to continue to the top.
Getting to the start
Drive to Codlea from MAX International via Cristian, then along the DN1 towards Sibiu. Three of the trails start from Zona Maial, on the mountain side of town; the blue cross starts from Zona Carieră. Parking at the start is not in the official sources, and the trails are not loops, so plan ahead how you will get back to the car. You can see the distance and driving time with the navigation buttons on each page.
Before you set off
The official list does not give the elevation gain, the bear risk, water sources or shelters, so bring water from home, check the weather and keep the map at hand. The trails are listed as accessible all year round. In an emergency call 112 or 0SALVAMONT (0725 826 668), the national Salvamont number.
Each page in the Local Guide says when it was checked and from which sources. All places are in the MAX International Local Guide.
Cover photo: GerritR / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 — resized
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