For those who want to test their endurance and enjoy a day in nature and spectacular landscapes, we recommend a route with a difference in level of 1350 m – Piscul Negru- Lespezi Peak Tourist Complex , with a climb through Piciorul Lespezi (Saua Lespezi has some more exposed passages that are not recommended for tourists). Being the fifth-highest peak in the country, Lespezi Peak (2517 m) truly deserves all the effort put in to reach it. With a fairly steep ascent, first through the forest, then through juniper bushes and the alpine void, the trail is one that doesn’t require technical skills but rather physical fitness.

The trail has the highest elevation gain in the fewest kilometers, and the ascent is sustained, but the landscape unfolding at your feet from the peak is worth the effort. The climb, which takes about 4 and a half hours, depending on your physical condition, starts from the area of ​​the Piscul Negru Tourist Complex, where you can leave your car in the parking lot on the left side or down, to the left of the complex.

From this point, the trail to Lespezi Peak begins. After passing an abandoned building, and passing behind the old mine, the ascent is made through the forest following the red cross marking (Piscul Negru-Saua Podeanu). After about an hour, the alpine gap appears and with it the first landmark – Lespezi Hut. From here, the route follows the red dot marking (the red triangle marking being the one that leads to the peak via Saua Lespezi). The road continues uphill for quite some time.

Another landmark of the route is the jump, a 4-5 meter rocky formation that can be bypassed in the summer or, if you still have the strength after all that climbing, can be approached with great care. In winter, it is recommended to have special equipment with ropes and harnesses, as the risk of avalanches in this area is quite high. Once at the summit, a true splendor unfolds beneath your feet. At the northern base of the massif, you can see Lake Călțun with its extraordinary blue color, the refuge, and the entire valley stretching far into the distance. All around, you can see Lăițel Peak (2390 m), Cornul Călțunului Peak (2511 m), the so-called twin peak of Lespezi Peak, and Negoiu Peak (2544 m), the second-highest in the country.

For the more adventurous, there is the option to approach Cornul Călțunului Peak, for which there is currently no hiking trail, but it can be climbed in the summer. From here, you return back to Piscul Negru, descending for approximately 4 hours.