Cozia National Park
One of the most impressive sights in the Southern Carpathian mountains is the gap through which the Olt river flows from north (Transylvania) to the south. The river flows between the Cozia mountains (east of the river) and Capatinii mountains (west of the river). This area is designated as a national park, called the Cozia National Park.
A network of hiking trails cover the mountains on both sides of the Olt river. I explored two of the easier trails.
East Olt side: Turnu Monastery to Stanisoara Monastery (red vertical stripe on white background). The trail starts down at the Olt River at the Turnu Monastery and climbs up to Stanisoara Monastery, in the Cozia mountains. The trail is 2 hrs long and passes through an area covered with a mix of evergreeen and deciduous trees. Beech (fag) and alder (anin) dominate the latter, along with lindens (tei) which were in blooom at the beginning of July and made the hiking easier with their scent.
West Olt Side: Lotrisor waterfall trail. The trail runs along the Lotrisor river. The path runs along a forest road, and climbs gently up to the Lotrisor waterfall, along a canyon with vertical walls made of Cozia augen gneiss and mica schists. Along the banks of the river grow nettles and burdocks (brusture).
The flora of this region includes a few endemic species. One of them is Garofita de munte, a wild form of carnation (pink colored).
