Where I am allowed to hike and on which trails? Are there any restrictions? How do I guide myself while on trail? How do I know if I am able to cope with the difficulties of a route? How do I know the difficulty of a route? These are reasonable questions every hiker who wants to visit the Romanian Carpathians must ask himself/herself. In the Romanian Carpathians, with some notorious exceptions (like in parks where, in some case, you may be fined), you may wander on any direction of your choosing, with or without a visible trail. Nobody will tell you not to go. Thus being said, when going to the mountains everyone talks, given the level of experience, about going on marcate (marked trails) or nemarcate (unmarked) routes. Marked routes are the ones where you follow a sign for orientation and usually there is already a well-defined trail. Unmarked routes designate all the other paths you may take on the mountain and lack a sign for orientation. Be careful though with these ones: usually they are more difficult and/or they lack a well-defined trail so it is harder to orientate yourself and easier to get lost. All the marked routes should be indicated on a mountain map. Orientation while on the route In Romania is used a system of combinations between colors and geometrical shapes. Thus, during your hikes you will find 12 different signs which are the results of the combinations between red, blue and yellow colors (with a white outer edge) and vertical stripes, triangles and circles. Generally the red stripe stands for main ridge sections of the mountains the other marking connecting routes. The signs are painted on trees, metal or wooden posts or on rocks. In winter, take care because you won’t see those painted
Where I am allowed to hike and on which trails? Are there any restrictions? How do I guide myself while on trail? How do I know if I am able to cope with the difficulties of a route? How do I know the difficulty of a route? These are reasonable questions every hiker who wants
