Poieni

Problems:

• The descent road towards Poieni is less visible as it is no longer used; there will be fallen trees, and towards the end, the road will turn into a path.
• There is a danger of getting lost on the segment between Sarmizegetusa and Poieni; in principle, you should always follow the most used road, always uphill until you reach a wide clearing from where you start descending.

Notable features:

• The medieval churches in Densuș and Peșteana, the reformed church in Peșteana, the Hațegan Village Museum, the Valley of the Volcanoes.

From the center of Sarmizegetusa, start heading towards Caransebeș. Just at the village exit, at the road sign, turn right onto a gravel road. Continue straight on this road, passing other roads intersecting from right and left. Soon the road enters the forest and starts to climb. There are several intersections in the forest, but you should always follow the most used road or the one with the largest ruts. The climb continues until you reach a wide clearing where the road branches in several directions. Here you should follow the right road, which continues on a contour line and enters the forest, then starts to descend gently. The road continues through dense forest and on some segments becomes less visible, with fallen trees on the road or sometimes looking like a trail. At the forest exit, you will already see below, in the valley, the first houses of Poieni. Here the road completely disappears, but down to the valley, you can follow one of the animal-used trails. Once down, descend to the first intersection and turn right onto the paved road. Follow the paved road to Ștei, and there turn right towards Densuș. Here and there you will see information boards about the geology of the place, especially about the volcanoes that existed in this area over 65 million years ago. In the center of the Densuș commune, you can visit the medieval church. From the center, the route continues downhill and turns right at the first paved road. Climb and descend the hill separating the two valleys, and at the next intersection turn left and enter Peșteana. Here you can visit the medieval church, the Hațegan Village Museum, or the reformed church. Cross the village going straight, without turning left onto the national road. At the village exit, the asphalt ends and a gravel road starts. Continue on it until a 90-degree curve to the left where you follow a dirt road that continues straight along the edge of the cultivated fields. At one point the road makes two curves, one right and one left, and shortly after this last curve, a trail splits off to the right. Ten meters after entering this trail, the road turns sharply left and will exit onto the national road. Continue on the trail along the riverbank until you arrive in Breazova. There turn right, cross the village, and enter the gravel road that continues for a few hundred meters until it reaches the national road. At the intersection with the national road turn right and you will soon arrive in Sarmizegetusa.