Cerna Valley Hikes – Stan Peak in Mehedinti Mountains

There are many places in Romania that are of incredible beauty, but they are mostly, either unknown or are hard to reach. The hike to Stan Peak is one such places, usually overlooked by most tourists as the peak is not very high. Located in Cerna Valley, this place offers a lot of touristic diversities and stunning views with its surrounding mountain ranges and thermal waters with perfect bathing temperature. Herculane, the main city on Cerna, used to be one of the best and most visited thermal resorts of Europe until the second world war and the communist regime. It was a place where the European royal families would come and meet, some even having holiday homes here. After 1990, for almost 20 years,  the resort fell into ruin as it was forgotten by the state authorities, but recently we can see some efforts in restoring this site to its former glory. If you are more interested in hiking then relaxing, rest assured as there are plenty to see and do. You could stay here for a week and not manage to do them all!

Distance

6 Km

Total Time

5h 00 min

Active Time

4h 30 min

Vertical Relief

+550 / -550 m

Min/Max Altitude

890 – 1466 m

Average Speed

2.4 km/h

Hike to Stan Peak

From Herculane you need to continue in the direction of Baia de Arama on road DN75D for approximately 35 kilometers and stop a few hundred meters before reaching the little picnic place from the below image (check the map also).  If you reach this point you can drink some fresh mountain water, but do have in mind that you have gone a bit too far and need to go back. The forest road that represents the start of the hike will be visible in the distance from the main road as the area has been deforested. Unfortunately, there will be no marking at the start of the hike as the trees have been cut down, but as soon as you start climbing and reach the forest line you will find the signs.

Continue on the forest road on the markings and at some point you will go straight through the forest until reaching a rocky edge. After a steep climb, you will reach the below plateau and the blue triangle markings, . Here the landscape changes drastically as the forests are replaced by smooth rocks, shaped by the ever blowing wind. The ascent to the peak is done on the right side of the edge and it is quite manageable for all people with no demanding parts. Even though, the peak is only at 1446 meters and the general ridge is at 1200 – 1400 meters the view is fantastic especially in the direction of Godeanu Mountains. Usually the round trip takes us about 6 hours with many pictures and constant brakes but you can even do it in 4 – 4 and a half hours if you don’t stop that often.

GPS track to Stan Peak

How to get to Stan Peak?

Getting to Baile Herculane is pretty easy and the road is really good no matter where you are coming from. To reach Herculane from Timisoara you need to go on road E70 in the direction of Lugoj and Caransebes; note that both towns have ring-roads so no need to go through them. After passing by Mehadia, a small town, you will have to do a left turn in about 5 kilometers in order to enter Baile Herculane over a narrow concrete bridge. The road has good markings and the entrance is hard to miss as the railway station is also there.

Where to sleep?

There are plenty accommodation options in Herculane, depending on personal budget and preferences, you can choose from. Our favorite spot is the small camping glave next to Dumbrava Motel, roughly 14 kilometers from Baile Herculane. We like this place because it is remote and far away from the busy life of the resort and also it is close to most hiking routes in the area. If you wish for even more intimacy you can cross the footbridge over Cerna River that is located in front of the motel and camp in that glave. Both glaves are owned by a local farmer that sometimes comes to collect approximately 1 euro (5 lei) per person/night for your stay there but he accepts any currency as we found out at some point (we had only euro with us). There are no toilets or bathrooms available in the glaves but for such things you are welcomed to use the facilities at Motel Dumbrava as the owners are really open to this. We usually eat at the motel as the prices are really decent, a breakfast would be 2-3 euro and a lunch about 4-5 euro but if you have packed food you are welcome to eat it on their outdoor terrace free of charge. If the outdoor sleeping isn’t your thing you can rent a cozy double room at Dumbrava that will cost you 18 euro per night (80 lei) and you will also have access to their indoor swimming pool. From the motel you have many close destinations and hikes that don’t require a car to get to.

Good to know

Hope you found the information helpful and accurate, but remember, if you have any questions drop them in a comment below!

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