Vânturătoarea Waterfall
Băile Herculane, Caraș-Severin County · Banat
About Vânturătoarea Waterfall
Vânturătoarea Waterfall is the most spectacular fall in the Cerna valley and one of the tallest in the country: a small stream on the flank of the Cerna Mountains leaps over a limestone wall in two tiers, about 50 m in all. The lower tier, some 40 m, is generally counted as the longest free drop of water in Romania. The waterfall hides in the forest at around 570 m altitude, on the right side of the Cerna, in the Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park, roughly 13 km upstream of Băile Herculane.
The name comes from the way the water falls: the stream hits a rock ledge high up and shatters into spray, which the wind in the valley carries like a cloud of droplets, as if the water were being winnowed ("vânturată" in Romanian). The wall behind the fall is hollowed out at its base, so you can pass beneath the curtain of water without getting too wet, and the rock beside it has a few bolted sport-climbing routes.
The flow depends on the season: in spring, at snowmelt, and after rain the fall is wide and loud, while by late summer it thins to a single thread. It is a place you walk to, not one you see from the car: the red-cross path climbs from the DN67D, at the bridge over the Cerna at the upper end of Lake Prisaca, about 1.5 km and 400 m of ascent to the foot of the falls.
What you can see
The trail starts with a stiff climb through beech forest on an old path, reinforced with stones in places, once used by the border guards who patrolled the old frontier between the Banat and Oltenia. After a series of zigzags the path reaches a bare rocky spur with a view of the Cerna Mountains' crests and, in the distance, the white thread of the waterfall. From there it is not far to its foot, where the water fans out over the grey wall and you can cool off in the spray or walk behind the veil.
The path carries on around the waterfall and climbs above it to a small rocky plateau overlooking the Mehedinți Mountains across the valley, then through young forest to the Cicilovete clearing at about 1,100 m, where it joins the Cerna Mountains ridge trail (red stripe). Via the Poiana cu Peri clearing and the blue-triangle trail you can descend to the old centre of the resort, a long full-day loop.
From the same bridge, to the left along the track past the barrier, an easy walk of about an hour leads to the Fecioara Maria waterfall, while opposite, from the Dumbrava motel, trails climb into the Țăsna gorge; on the way back to Herculane, stop at the hot springs of Șapte Izvoare.
Good to know
The trail is short but demanding: a steep climb, a rough and in places exposed path, and wet rocks at the falls. You need hiking boots, poles help, and in summer bring water, as there are no springs on the path. The park administration recommends it only in summer and in snow-free months. The nose-horned viper lives in the area: watch where you put your hands and feet. On the DN67D between Valea Cernei and Băile Herculane, consolidation works have been under way since 2023, with single-lane stretches and temporary closures after rockfalls.
- The lower tier of the falls, a ~40 m free drop, with the water bursting into spray before it reaches the rocks.
- Walking behind the curtain of water, beneath the hollowed-out wall at the foot of the falls.
- The rocky spur on the path, with a view of the Cerna Mountains' crests and the white thread of the waterfall in the forest.
- The rocky plateau above the falls, looking across the valley to the Mehedinți Mountains.
- The Fecioara Maria waterfall, an easy hour's walk from the same bridge, for those who would rather skip the climb.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Băile Herculane take the DN67D towards Baia de Aramă; the road climbs the Cerna valley past Șapte Izvoare and along the shore of Lake Prisaca. At the upper end of the lake, ~13 km from the resort centre (~15 km from the DN6 at Pecinișca), just before the Dumbrava motel, a concrete bridge over the Cerna on the left (Podul Vânturătorii) marks the start of the trail. Băile Herculane is ~20 km from Orșova, ~45 km from Drobeta-Turnu Severin, ~190 km from Timișoara (DN6/E70, ~3 hours) and ~160 km from Craiova. On foot: cross the bridge, follow the red cross past the last house and climb ~1.5 km, with ~400 m of ascent, in 1–1.5 hours; the descent takes about as long.
Public transport: Băile Herculane has a station on the Timișoara – Craiova line, and a bus links the station with the resort centre. There is no regular service to the bridge; from Herculane take a taxi (~13 km) or cycle, on a gently climbing road.
- Where to park
Park for free on the side of the DN67D at either end of the bridge over the Cerna, where there are a few widened spots; there is usually room even at weekends. Do not block the bridge or the road, which is used by cars heading to the villages up the valley.
- Fees & discounts
The waterfall and the trail are free. The Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park administration charges a visitor fee of 10 lei per person (2026), valid for 7 days throughout the park; pay at the visitor centre in Băile Herculane (Strada Uzinei 9) or by SMS, following the instructions on the panel at the trailhead.
- Rules
You are in a national park: keep to the marked path, do not pick flowers, light fires or camp outside designated places, and take your rubbish with you. Children under 14 only with an adult. Dogs on a lead, on marked trails only. Hiking boots are a must, trekking poles and a rain jacket are recommended; keep away from the edge of the ledges above the falls and do not climb on wet rocks. The nose-horned viper lives here: do not put your hands between stones. Climbing on the waterfall wall only with proper gear and experience.
- Facilities
No toilets, water or shop at the trailhead · accommodation and a restaurant at the Dumbrava motel across the road, and guesthouses along the Cerna valley · no access for pushchairs or people with reduced mobility · weak mobile signal in the valley and none on the path · park visitor centre on the way out of Băile Herculane towards Baia de Aramă
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