Zărnești Gorges

The Zărnești Gorges (Prăpăstiile Zărneștiului, also called Cheile Zărneștilor or Valea Prăpăstiilor) are a karst gorge in the north-eastern part of the Piatra Craiului Mountains, very close to the town of Zărnești in Brașov County. The gorge stretches for about 4 km, with its narrowest and most spectacular sector measuring around 2 km, framed by vertical limestone walls that reach 100–200 m in places. In some sections the walls narrow to just a few metres apart, so that certain stretches are never touched directly by sunlight. The gorge was formed by the action of water on Jurassic limestone: the watercourse eroded the rock and went underground, creating a cave whose ceiling later collapsed to form the present-day gorge. As a result, the valley is mostly dry, with water flowing on the surface only after heavy rain, and several caves have formed within its catchment. Chamois are often seen on the rocky walls. The area lies within Piatra Craiului National Park, a massif known for rare plant species such as the endemic Piatra Craiului pink (garofița Pietrei Craiului). The Zărnești Gorges are a geological nature reserve of about 110 hectares, declared a protected area by Law no. 5 of 2000. The gorge is also one of the main access routes to the hiking trails of the Piatra Craiului massif.