# Romania's Tallest Waterfalls

293 m? 120 m? 90 m? It depends what you call a waterfall. Some sources add up a whole system of falls, others measure a single tier, others the length of water on rock. This page puts them all on the same scale — with the method visible, the sources cited and the question marks kept.

Research and verification: September 2026 · Updated 15 September 2026

## The short answer

There is no single undisputed winner, because total reported drop, a well-defined waterfall and free-fall are different measures. Here are the three answers the verified data supports so far:

- Scurtele — ~293 m: the greatest reported height difference, but a system of falls.
- Cociu — ~120 m: the strongest candidate for a well-defined waterfall.
- Vânturătoarea — ~40 m: the greatest free-fall among the cases documented here.

## What does 293 metres mean?

Keep this picture: Scurtele dominates by system length, Cociu as a single fall, Vânturătoarea as a free-falling stretch. Three measures, three answers — the outlined bars lead to profiles.

## Map

Each dot leads to the waterfall's profile. Colour shows the order of magnitude of the reported height. Waterfalls without verified coordinates have no map dot and appear with a profile only.

- [Bigăr Waterfall](#bigar): Aninei Mountains (Banat Mountains); ~7–8 m; Caraș-Severin; 45.00348, 21.95953
- [Cociu / Roșeț Waterfall](#cociu-roset): Mehedinți Mountains; ~120 m; Mehedinți; 44.91838, 22.46485
- [Vânturătoarea Waterfall](#vanturatoarea): Cernei Mountains (Cerna Valley, 665 m alt.); ~45 m; Caraș-Severin; 44.97009, 22.47374
- [Hotăran Waterfall](#hotaran): Bihor Mountains (below Cucurbata Mare); ~80 m; Bihor; group location, approximate coordinates (not the waterfall's location)
- [Fântânele Waterfall](#fantanele): Bihor Mountains (Padiș Plateau); ~60 m; Bihor; group location, approximate coordinates (not the waterfall's location)
- [Scurtele Waterfall](#scurtele): Godeanu Mountains (western edge of Retezat NP); ~293 m; Hunedoara; 45.2804, 22.717
- [Vălul Miresei Waterfall](#valul-miresei): Vlădeasa Mountains (eastern slope); ~30 m; Cluj (Răchițele village, Mărgău commune); 46.71076, 22.82926
- [Ciumfu Waterfall](#ciumfu): Retezat Mountains; over ~100 m; Hunedoara; 45.36739, 22.93322
- [Scoruș Waterfall](#scorus): Căpățânii Mountains; ~101.5 m; Vâlcea; 45.33586, 24.01188
- [Bâlea Waterfall](#balea): Făgăraș Mountains; ~60 m; Sibiu; 45.6264, 24.61227
- [Capra Waterfall](#capra): Făgăraș Mountains; disputed dimensions; Argeș; 45.58628, 24.63098
- [Cailor Waterfall](#cailor): Rodnei Mountains (Piatra Rea reserve); ~90 m; Maramureș; 47.59027, 24.80226
- [Urlătoarea Waterfall](#urlatoarea): Bucegi Mountains; ~15 m; Prahova (near Bușteni); 45.3962, 25.51574
- [Duruitoarea Waterfall](#duruitoarea): Ceahlău Mountains; ~25 m; Neamț; 46.97273, 25.93531
- Bella Vista Waterfall: Bihor Mountains (below Cucurbata Mare/Biharia); no verified coordinates.
- Buda Waterfall — case under investigation: Făgăraș Mountains; no verified coordinates.
- Waterfall on Izvorul Moldoveanului — case under investigation: Făgăraș Mountains; no verified coordinates.
- Săritoarea de la Goidești: Ivănețu Mountains; no verified coordinates.

## Reported height differences

- Buda Waterfall — case under investigation: ~620 m (valley sector, unverified)
- Waterfall on Izvorul Moldoveanului — caz de investigat: ~300 m (unverified)
- Scurtele Waterfall: ~293 m
- Cociu / Roșeț Waterfall: ~120 m
- Scoruș Waterfall: ~101.5 m
- Ciumfu Waterfall: over ~100 m
- Cailor Waterfall: ~90 m
- Hotăran Waterfall: ~80 m
- Fântânele Waterfall: ~60 m
- Bâlea Waterfall: ~60 m
- Bella Vista Waterfall: ~50 m (provisional)
- Săritoarea de la Goidești: ~50 m (visual estimate)
- Vânturătoarea Waterfall: ~45 m
- Vălul Miresei Waterfall: ~30 m
- Duruitoarea Waterfall: ~25 m
- Urlătoarea Waterfall: ~15 m

## Comparable waterfalls

- Scurtele Waterfall: ~293 m
- Cociu / Roșeț Waterfall: ~120 m
- Scoruș Waterfall: ~101.5 m
- Ciumfu Waterfall: over ~100 m
- Cailor Waterfall: ~90 m
- Hotăran Waterfall: ~80 m
- Fântânele Waterfall: ~60 m
- Bâlea Waterfall: ~60 m
- Săritoarea de la Goidești: ~50 m (visual estimate)
- Vânturătoarea Waterfall: ~45 m
- Vălul Miresei Waterfall: ~30 m
- Duruitoarea Waterfall: ~25 m
- Urlătoarea Waterfall: ~15 m
- Bigăr Waterfall: ~7–8 m

## Documented free-falls

- Vânturătoarea Waterfall: ~40 m
- Scoruș Waterfall: ~80 m tier, no free-fall

## Cailor Waterfall: 90, 100, 150 or 240 m?

Cailor Waterfall is one of the country's best-known waterfalls and gathers the most contradictory figures. The traditional value, ~90 m, appears in Wikipedia, in guides and from operators — but its origin is a repeated tourist figure, not a published measurement. The description in the same sources speaks of a successive 40+20+40 fall, whose sum is 100, not 90 — the first inconsistency.

The ~100 m figure comes from tourist estimates and roundings. The ~150 m one adds to the visible falls upstream tiers, through forest, from an itinerary that no longer exists. The 240 m figure belongs to a single 2019 blog, which sums every fall in the basin. The canyoning topo counts 10 abseils of at most 50 m — an anatomy compatible with 10 small falls, not a 240 m total. This page keeps ~90 m with B status and shows the alternatives alongside, not instead.

## Bigăr: famous, not tall

Bigăr Waterfall went viral for its shape: a moss-covered travertine cone over which the spring water trickles like a veil. Its height is on the order of 7–8 m — a record of fame, not of size.

On 7 June 2021, Romsilva announced the collapse of a large travertine slab under its own accumulated weight. The fallen block can be seen in the Miniș, below what remains. Any image showing the perfect cone veil predates this; the current look would need a photograph dated after the collapse, with a verified licence. The viral superlative comes from a 2013 listicle and a 2010 press feature — source claims, not verified facts.

## Profiles

### Scurtele Waterfall

- Stream: Scurtele stream (from Scurtele lake, below Scurtele Peak 2,157 m, near Gugu Peak) → Lăpușnicul Mic → Mare → Gura Apelor lake
- Massif · county: Godeanu Mountains (western edge of Retezat NP) · Hunedoara
- Total drop: ~293 m
- Confidence: C
- Tiers: 7
- Type: waterfall series / tiers
- Measurement: altimeter (base → highest tier), 2016
- Access (OFF-TRAIL): No tourist trail: neither markings nor even a path (WTR). Exploration/drone; future marking only with Retezat NP + Salvamont approval.
- Caveats: Spot-height difference 1,322–1,615 m, Promontana 2016 survey. Earlier reports gave 270 m. ClimbRomania: ~220 m / 7-pitch ice route; LC3 has ~65–70 m of rope length with ~40 m of ice (rope length, not vertical). Open question: single waterfall or a system of falls.
- Sources: https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Scurtele_r.htm · https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura65/home/carpatii-meridionali/godeanu/cascada-scurtele-in-muntii-godeanu · https://www.climbromania.ro/traseu/12737

### Cociu / Roșeț Waterfall

- Stream: Roșeț brook (Cociului Valley), left tributary of the Cerna
- Massif · county: Mehedinți Mountains · Mehedinți
- Total drop: ~120 m
- Confidence: B
- Tallest tier: ~120 m
- Tiers: 1
- Type: vertical fall on a limestone wall
- Flow: permanent with variations; maximum in spring; dangerous when wet/icy/snowy
- Access (HARD): PR trail 14MN12: 1.4 km, +607 m, 1–1.5 h, sustained climb; rock/ice fall at the base; Domogled NP fee (RON 10/7 days, 2026).
- Caveats: MN: c. 120 m long, no tiers; a single fall splitting into two streams; spot heights ~780–790 m → ~660–670 m. CONFLICT: the OpenCanyon topo (unverified) says “two 90-meter limestone walls”, max abseil 41 m, 8 abseils, delta 176 m (846→670 m). Free-fall component undetermined.
- Sources: https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/baile-herculane-dn-67d-in-dreptul-crucii-ghizele-3/ · https://norishorul-calator.com/2026/05/06/cea-mai-inalta-cascada-din-romania-cascada-cociu-roset-ghid-complet-de-vizitare/ · https://www.opencanyon.org/it/canyon/8c7dd444-780b-4f42-bde4-d29f801cf999/pdf

### Scoruș Waterfall

- Stream: Scoruș stream (Bucureasa/Budureasa Valley gorges)
- Massif · county: Căpățânii Mountains · Vâlcea
- Total drop: ~101.5 m
- Confidence: B
- Tallest tier: ~80 m
- Tiers: 2
- Type: vertical fall in tiers
- Flow: permanent; in the rainy season the flow is about four times the usual one (town hall)
- Access (EASY): Marked trail (two white-red circles) through the canyon, from Căsuța din Pădure, 40 min–1 h+; ticket booth at the entrance (RON 5 — reviews).
- Caveats: Mălaia town hall: those who measured it claim 101.5 m; 2 ledges, one of 80 m. Variants: 100 m (Mirabilis); ~110 m with the upper fall (local sources, not directly verified). OpenCanyon: entry 996 m/exit 848 m/delta 148 m, max abseil 50 m, 6 abseils. Methodologically C.
- Sources: https://primariamalaiavl.ro/info/prezentare/obiective-turistice/cascada-scorus/ · https://www.opencanyon.org/it/canyon/e1ea9b08-1cc3-46c3-889f-da2e68f0b72e/pdf · https://www.mirabilisvoyage.ro/travel_items/details/drumetie-1-zi-spre-cascadele-lotrisor-si-scorus-2298-normal-2632-1/print

### Ciumfu Waterfall

- Stream: Ciumfu stream (waters of lakes Custura Mare, Custura Mică, Ciumfu Mare) → Bărbat river → Strei → Mureș
- Massif · county: Retezat Mountains · Hunedoara
- Total drop: over ~100 m
- Confidence: C
- Type: fall from a high ledge
- Access (HIKING): Admired from the blue-triangle trail Cabana Baleia–Poiana Pelegii (WTR); the Salvamont-HD trail 16 sheet passes by Ciomfu Waterfall (Stâna de Râu → Șaua Custurii).
- Caveats: The source says over 100 m, with no exact figure. Unconfirmed detail.
- Sources: https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Ciumfu_r.htm · https://www.salvamonthd.ro/mt-content/uploads/2023/02/traseeretezat-16.pdf

### Cailor Waterfall

- Stream: Cailor spring/stream (Zănoaga Cailor glacial cirque, over Podul Cailor → Vișeu/Tisza basin)
- Massif · county: Rodnei Mountains (Piatra Rea reserve) · Maramureș
- Total drop: ~90 m
- Confidence: B
- Tallest tier: ~40 m
- Tiers: 3
- Type: in successive tiers
- Flow: permanent with variations; snowmelt + frequent rain
- Access (EASY): Borșa-Complex chairlift + ~30–60 min on foot, or red triangle 2–3 h (WTR; MN 03MN03/04MB15).
- Caveats: VALUE TRACE: 90 m = the repeated tourist figure (Wikipedia/WTR/operators), unmeasured origin; the WTR 40+20+40=100≠90 sequence, an inconsistency in the source. 100 m = tourist estimates/roundings. 150 m = the visible falls + upstream tiers through forest (Itinerarium Grand Tour, now 404; echoed by norișorul 2026). 240 m = a single TravelFeed/Hive blog @gabrielatravels 2019 (unfounded summing of all falls in the basin; the 10-falls-≤50 m anatomy is compatible with the OpenCanyon topo: 10 abseils, max 50 m). Canyoning topo: 10 abseils, max 50 m. No published measurement.
- Sources: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Cailor · https://www.welcometoromania.eu/DN18_Sighet_Iacobeni/DN18_Sighet_Iacobeni_Cascada_Cailor_e.htm · https://www.opencanyon.org/en/canyon/c0240bb4-7700-4633-9dc7-0a03b89af3cd/pdf · https://travelfeed.com/@gabrielatravels/let-s-travel-together-95-cascada-cailor-horses-waterfall

### Vânturătoarea Waterfall

- Stream: Slatini brook, right tributary of the Cerna
- Massif · county: Cernei Mountains (Cerna Valley, 665 m alt.) · Caraș-Severin
- Total drop: ~45 m
- Confidence: B
- Tallest tier: ~40 m
- Free-fall: ~40 m
- Tiers: 2
- Type: free-fall / vertical fall
- Flow: small flow, varying with rain
- Access (HIKING): Red cross from Podul Vânturătorii (DN67D), ~1.5 h climb, demanding in places; Domogled NP fee; beware of vipers.
- Caveats: Leading candidate for the greatest free-fall if final checks confirm the comparison.
- Sources: https://norishorul-calator.com/2026/05/11/cascada-vanturatoarea-una-dintre-cele-mai-spectaculoase-cascade-din-romania-traseu-complet-si-experienta-reala/ · https://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/vanturatoarea-cascada/ · https://www.tripadvisor.ca/AttractionProductReview-g1169502-d19774910-Vanturatoarea_Waterfall-Baile_Herculane_Caras_Severin_County_Western_Romania_Tran.html

### Hotăran Waterfall

- Stream: —
- Massif · county: Bihor Mountains (below Cucurbata Mare) · Bihor
- Total drop: ~80 m
- Confidence: C
- Tiers: 3
- Type: 3 successive tiers
- Access (HIKING): MN trails 17MN31 (Băița village–Sf. Treime–Poiana) and 17MN32 (Dealul Căsoaiei viewpoint).
- Caveats: 80 m in three tiers, the largest of Sfânta Treime (MN 17MN32, source Dinu Mititeanu); neighbours: Fântânele 60 m, Cârligoi 40 m. Its own watercourse unverified.
- Location: OSM Sfânta Treime group point, not the waterfall's location.
- Sources: https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/dealul-casoaiei-belvedere-cascada-sf-treime/ · https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/sat-baita-cascada-sf-treime-sat-poiana/ · https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania

### Buda Waterfall — case under investigation

- Stream: Buda river (glacial Buda lake, 2,055 m, between Buda/Arpașu Mare/Mic peaks → Argeș/Vidraru)
- Massif · county: Făgăraș Mountains · Argeș
- Total drop: ~620 m (valley sector, unverified)
- Confidence: D
- Tiers: 19
- Type: steep valley system / canyon
- Access (EXPLORATION): Exploration (6h10 canyoning, 2 h approach); no documented tourist trail.
- Caveats: The 620 m figure from a single inventory listing (românia-natura). Canyoning topo: entry 1,928 m, exit 1,558 m, delta 370 m; 19 abseils, max 35 m; a 90 m long abseil under a natural bridge. Average gradient ~28°.
- Location: no verified coordinates — no map pin.
- Sources: https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania · https://playground.opencanyon.org/de/canyon/e26c1b80-9255-4362-86bf-f00e52923053/pdf · https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura59/home/carpatii-meridionali/fagarasului/-competitie-pentru-cea-mai-mare-cascada-din-romania · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_(Argeș)

### Waterfall on Izvorul Moldoveanului — caz de investigat

- Stream: Izvorul Moldoveanului
- Massif · county: Făgăraș Mountains · —
- Total drop: ~300 m (unverified)
- Confidence: D
- Caveats: A single inventory sentence; zero other web results; detail page unfetchable.
- Location: no verified coordinates — no map pin.
- Sources: https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania

### Fântânele Waterfall

- Stream: Mărgine stream (Poiana Crișului Valley), Izvoarele Crișului Negru area
- Massif · county: Bihor Mountains (Padiș Plateau) · Bihor
- Total drop: ~60 m
- Confidence: B
- Type: veil / narrow fall
- Access (HARD): Certified PA trail 17MN31 Băița village–Sf. Treime–Poiana: 17.0 km, 7–8 h, +1,008 m; steep 150 m/500 m descent on slippery ground to the watercourse, then ~600 m along the watercourse. Short viewpoint variant PAD 17MN32: 0.5 km, 15 min. Not recommended/impracticable in winter.
- Caveats: Figure via Dinu Mititeanu, quoted by Munții Noștri. Partly concordant inventory: românia-natura gives 50 m in one place / 60 m in another — unresolved discrepancy; 60 m kept from the Munții Noștri guide. Sfânta Treime group: Cârligoi 40 m, Hotăran 80 m, Fântânele 60 m.
- Location: OSM Sfânta Treime group point, not the waterfall's location.
- Sources: https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/sat-baita-cascada-sf-treime-sat-poiana/ · https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/dealul-casoaiei-belvedere-cascada-sf-treime/ · https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania

### Bella Vista Waterfall

- Stream: —
- Massif · county: Bihor Mountains (below Cucurbata Mare/Biharia) · Bihor
- Total drop: ~50 m (provisional)
- Confidence: D
- Caveats: PROVISIONAL — a single inventory mention. Field/bibliographic verification needed before publishing as a record.
- Location: no verified coordinates — no map pin.
- Sources: https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania

### Săritoarea de la Goidești

- Stream: —
- Massif · county: Ivănețu Mountains · Buzău (Siriu commune)
- Total drop: ~50 m (visual estimate)
- Confidence: C
- Measurement: on-site visual estimate (October), 2024
- Flow: seasonal — water only after snowmelt or consistent rain (visit of 23 Oct 2024)
- Access (UNMARKED): Unmarked local path from Goidești (right at the pharmacy, park where the asphalt ends, then a gravel road); steep slope. No markings, verified times or documented restrictions.
- Caveats: Over 50 m of drop, visual estimate from the waterfall's lip; the authors explicitly call for a measurement from downstream along the valley. NOTE: namesake waterfalls (Săritoarea Buceș–Hunedoara, Săritoarea Bohodei, Săritoarea Iedutului — Bihor); do not mix them.
- Location: no verified coordinates — no map pin.
- Sources: https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura1/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/carpatii-rasariteni-harti-marcaje-pesteri/natura-tafoni-mul%C8%9Bi-la-cascada-s%C4%83ritoarea-de-la-goide%C8%99ti-mun%C8%9Bii-iv%C4%83ne%C8%9Bu · https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura1/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/carpatii-rasariteni-harti-marcaje-pesteri/natura-cascada-s%C4%83ritoarea-goide%C8%99ti-50-metri-la-vremea-pomilor-%C3%AEn-floare · https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura1/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/carpatii-rasariteni-harti-marcaje-pesteri/muntii-ivanetu-harta-marcaje-asezari-rupestre

### Vălul Miresei Waterfall

- Stream: Stânciului stream (Valea Stânciului)
- Massif · county: Vlădeasa Mountains (eastern slope) · Cluj (Răchițele village, Mărgău commune)
- Total drop: ~30 m
- Confidence: B
- Tiers: 2
- Type: fan/veil over a rock ledge
- Access (EASY): Blue triangle, 4 km, 2 h, +200 m, starting at Răchițele, May–October season (poteca.org); car access to ~6 km from Răchițele. Crowded in summer; slippery steps when wet.
- Caveats: A nomenclature inconsistency reported as such: Stânciului Valley (cluj.com) vs Valea Seacă, tributary of the Răchițele stream (paragraph quoted from Welcome to Romania). Freezes in winter — an ice-climbing route. Altitude ~1,000 m; potholes ~10 m across at the base of the upper tier.
- Sources: https://poteca.org/trasee/cascada-valul-miresei-rachitele-valul-miresei/ · https://cluj.com/locatii/cascada-valul-miresei-rachitele/ · https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_V%C4%83lul_Miresei

### Duruitoarea Waterfall

- Stream: Rupturii stream (Rupturilor)
- Massif · county: Ceahlău Mountains · Neamț
- Total drop: ~25 m
- Confidence: B
- Tallest tier: ~20 m
- Tiers: 2
- Type: tiers on conglomerates/sandstones
- Flow: permanent, with much reduced summer flow
- Access (EASY): 3 marked trails from Durău ~2 h (red cross, yellow triangle, blue cross); poteca.org: 7 km, 3 h, +450 m, starting at Durău, May–October season; equipped resting place; reserve fee at Durău/Izvorul Muntelui; onward to Dochia 2.5–3 h, forbidden in winter.
- Caveats: 1 ha reserve at 1,250 m alt. Upper ledge ~20 m with potholes at the base; lower ledge ~5 m fan.
- Sources: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Duruitoarea · https://poteca.org/trasee/cascada-duruitoarea-duruitoarea/

### Urlătoarea Waterfall

- Stream: Urlătoarea stream
- Massif · county: Bucegi Mountains · Prahova (near Bușteni)
- Total drop: ~15 m
- Confidence: B
- Tiers: 1
- Flow: rain-dependent
- Access (EASY): 01MN05 PR trail (red dot) Bușteni (station, past the cable car): 3.59 km, ~1–1.5 h, +323 m/−67 m, top 1,140 m; accessible all year; a 200 m steep stretch slippery in rain; bear warning. Access from Poiana Țapului too.
- Caveats: Main fall ~15 m + small secondary falls (Urlătoarea Mare + Urlătoarea Mică, over tens of metres). Alt ~1,100 m. Not among the tallest — Famous section, but not very tall.
- Sources: https://muntii-nostri.ro/trail/busteni-cascada-urlatoarea/ · https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Url%C4%83toarea · https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/busteni-cascada-urlatoarea/

### Bigăr Waterfall

- Stream: Bigăr karst spring (from Bigăr Cave) → Miniș river after ~200 m
- Massif · county: Aninei Mountains (Banat Mountains) · Caraș-Severin
- Total drop: ~7–8 m
- Confidence: B
- Type: travertine waterfall
- Flow: permanent (strong spring)
- Access (EASY): DN57B Anina–Poneasca–Valea Minișului, landmark before Bozovici; nature reserve (1982, Law 5/2000, 176.60 ha) in Cheile Nerei–Beușnița NP, IUCN IV, Bozovici commune; the 45N parallel marked on the ground.
- Caveats: Height 7–8 m (moss-covered travertine/calcareous tuff cone); B for the order of magnitude, D for any decimal. COLLAPSE 7 June 2021 (Romsilva announcement): large travertine slab fallen into the Miniș. Any perfect-cone-veil image = BEFORE 7.06.2021; no post-collapse height published. “Most beautiful in the world” is NOT repeated as fact (origin: The World Geography 2013 listicle + National Geographic Traveler–România Sept 2010, quoted as source claims).
- Sources: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izvorul_Big%C4%83r · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izvorul_Big%C4%83r · https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/sci-tech/natura-si-mediu/cascada-bigar-din-parcul-national-cheile-nerei-beusnita-s-a-prabusit-1555137 · https://www.mediafax.ro/social/situatie-trista-cascada-bigar-din-parcul-national-cheile-nerei-beusnita-s-a-prabusit-video-20124222

### Capra Waterfall

- Stream: Capra river (fed by Capra lake, 2,241 m)
- Massif · county: Făgăraș Mountains · Argeș
- Total drop: tens of metres (disputed)
- Confidence: D
- Access (EASY): DN7C Transfăgărășan road, at ~1,690 m alt, between Capra and Balea Lac; visible from the road; Balea Cascadă/Balea Lac parking + cable car; limited road season.
- Caveats: UNRESOLVED CONFLICT: ~35 m (TripAdvisor) / ~40 m (directbooking) / 60 m (europeanwaterfalls) / 115 m, alt delta 111 m, max abseil 70 m, 3 abseils (OpenCanyon canyoning sheet, UNRATED quality, 2025). No single value published as fact; C only for the tens-of-metres range.
- Sources: https://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/capra-cascada/ · https://www.directbooking.ro/landmark-waterfall-capra-transfagarasan-247.aspx · https://www.opencanyon.org/it/canyon/5f610289-4fa5-4d2a-a126-4248d96f63f5/pdf · https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g815576-d7151895-Reviews-Capra_Wasserfall-Fagaras_Brasov_County_Central_Romania_Tran.html

### Bâlea Waterfall

- Stream: Bâlea river
- Massif · county: Făgăraș Mountains · Sibiu
- Total drop: ~60 m
- Confidence: B
- Type: tiers/fan
- Access (EASY): 07MN31 PR trail Cabana Balea Cascadă–Balea Waterfall (lower sector): 1.3 km, 45 min–1 h, +244 m, top 1,464 m; the last sector climbs steeply; DANGEROUS in winter; the ensemble visible from the gondola; DN7C + Balea cable car.
- Caveats: Tiered fall of c. 60 m (Munții Noștri); over 60 m, fan (europeanwaterfalls: “more than 60 meter, fan”).
- Sources: https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/cabana-balea-cascada-cascada-balea-2/ · https://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/balea-cascada/

## Questions

### Which is Romania's tallest waterfall?

It depends on the criterion. The greatest reported height difference is Scurtele, ~293 m — but a system of falls, not a single waterfall. The tallest well-defined fall looks like Cociu, ~120 m. The greatest free-fall among the cases documented here looks like Vânturătoarea, ~40 m.

### How tall is Cailor Waterfall?

The traditional figure is ~90 m, in tiers. Figures of 100, 150 and 240 m also circulate, but the first two are tourist roundings, and the last add upstream sectors or the whole basin with no published method.

### Is Cociu Waterfall taller than Cailor Waterfall?

On the working figures, yes: ~120 m against ~90 m. Cociu is described as a single fall, Cailor as a series of tiers. Both figures await topographic corroboration.

### How is Scurtele Waterfall measured?

The 2016 survey gives ~293 m of spot-height difference, by altimeter, between 1,322 and 1,615 m. The site is, however, a string of waterfalls — which is why this page treats it as a system, not a single waterfall.

### Which waterfall has the greatest free-fall?

Vânturătoarea, with ~40 m of fall in a ~45 m ensemble, looks like the greatest among the cases documented in this selection. Research continues: a greater, still undocumented free-fall would change the answer.

### How tall is Bigăr Waterfall?

About 7–8 m. Bigăr is famous for its travertine-cone shape, not for height. Since June 2021, after the partial collapse, it looks different from the viral photographs.

### Which Romanian waterfalls are easily accessible?

Vălul Miresei, Urlătoarea, Bigăr, Capra and Cailor (the last by chairlift) can be seen from short trails or near the road. Duruitoarea, Scoruș and Bâlea require hikes of several hours on marked trails. The profiles give verified distances, times and restrictions.

### Which waterfalls are close to Bucharest?

By straight-line distance, computed from the pin coordinates: Urlătoarea (~117 km), Capra and Bâlea (Făgăraș, ~173–178 km), then Scoruș (~193 km). These are straight-line distances, not road distances. Săritoarea de la Goidești (Buzău) has no verified coordinates and does not enter this ranking.

### When do waterfalls run highest?

In spring, at snowmelt, and after sustained rain. Some waterfalls, like Săritoarea de la Goidești, only carry water in these windows. A photograph taken after rain does not show the usual flow.

## Method

Each waterfall has its own profile with the stream, massif, county, falls, measurement method and year, A–D confidence grade, flow regime and access. Null means unknown, not zero.
Total drop, tallest tier and free-fall are three different measures and do not substitute for one another. Where sources differ, the page shows both values.
The ~ sign means an approximate or source-rounded value. No decimals are published that the method does not justify.
Photographs are exclusively reusable: Wikimedia Commons (public domain, CC BY, CC BY-SA) with author, licence and a link to the file page. No press photography, no unclearly licensed images.
Access is verified in published guides and trail sheets. This page publishes no off-trail instructions and does not encourage leaving paths.
Mistakes get corrected: write to the site's contact page with the source, and the page notes the change in the history below.

## Sources

- Scurtele Waterfall: [https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Scurtele_r.htm](https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Scurtele_r.htm)
- Cociu / Roșeț Waterfall: [https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/baile-herculane-dn-67d-in-dreptul-crucii-ghizele-3/](https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/baile-herculane-dn-67d-in-dreptul-crucii-ghizele-3/)
- Scoruș Waterfall: [https://primariamalaiavl.ro/info/prezentare/obiective-turistice/cascada-scorus/](https://primariamalaiavl.ro/info/prezentare/obiective-turistice/cascada-scorus/)
- Ciumfu Waterfall: [https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Ciumfu_r.htm](https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Retezat/Retezat_Cascada_Ciumfu_r.htm)
- Cailor Waterfall: [https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Cailor](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Cailor)
- Vânturătoarea Waterfall: [https://norishorul-calator.com/2026/05/11/cascada-vanturatoarea-una-dintre-cele-mai-spectaculoase-cascade-din-romania-traseu-complet-si-experienta-reala/](https://norishorul-calator.com/2026/05/11/cascada-vanturatoarea-una-dintre-cele-mai-spectaculoase-cascade-din-romania-traseu-complet-si-experienta-reala/)
- Hotăran Waterfall: [https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/dealul-casoaiei-belvedere-cascada-sf-treime/](https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/dealul-casoaiei-belvedere-cascada-sf-treime/)
- Buda Waterfall — case under investigation: [https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania](https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania)
- Waterfall on Izvorul Moldoveanului — caz de investigat: [https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania](https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania)
- Fântânele Waterfall: [https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/sat-baita-cascada-sf-treime-sat-poiana/](https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/sat-baita-cascada-sf-treime-sat-poiana/)
- Bella Vista Waterfall: [https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania](https://www.romania-natura.ro/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/diverse-natura-din-romania/cascade-mari-in-romania)
- Săritoarea de la Goidești: [https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura1/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/carpatii-rasariteni-harti-marcaje-pesteri/natura-tafoni-mul%C8%9Bi-la-cascada-s%C4%83ritoarea-de-la-goide%C8%99ti-mun%C8%9Bii-iv%C4%83ne%C8%9Bu](https://sites.google.com/site/romanianatura1/home/relief-romania-muntii-carpati/carpatii-rasariteni-harti-marcaje-pesteri/natura-tafoni-mul%C8%9Bi-la-cascada-s%C4%83ritoarea-de-la-goide%C8%99ti-mun%C8%9Bii-iv%C4%83ne%C8%9Bu)
- Vălul Miresei Waterfall: [https://poteca.org/trasee/cascada-valul-miresei-rachitele-valul-miresei/](https://poteca.org/trasee/cascada-valul-miresei-rachitele-valul-miresei/)
- Duruitoarea Waterfall: [https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Duruitoarea](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascada_Duruitoarea)
- Urlătoarea Waterfall: [https://muntii-nostri.ro/trail/busteni-cascada-urlatoarea/](https://muntii-nostri.ro/trail/busteni-cascada-urlatoarea/)
- Bigăr Waterfall: [https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izvorul_Big%C4%83r](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izvorul_Big%C4%83r)
- Capra Waterfall: [https://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/capra-cascada/](https://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/capra-cascada/)
- Bâlea Waterfall: [https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/cabana-balea-cascada-cascada-balea-2/](https://muntii-nostri.ro/trails/download-atlas/cabana-balea-cascada-cascada-balea-2/)

### Photo credits

- balea: [Krzysztof Ziarnek (Kenraiz), CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%A2lea_waterfall_kz01.jpg)
- balea: [Krzysztof Ziarnek (Kenraiz), CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%A2lea_waterfall_kz04.jpg)
- balea: [Cristian Bortes, CC BY 2.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balea_cascada_(1414276440).jpg)
- bigar-pre: [Zamolx, Public domain](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Big%C4%83r_Martie_2009_352.jpg)
- bigar-pre: [Flori & Nicu Farcaș, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Big%C4%83r.JPG)
- bigar-pre: [Giuseppe Milo, CC BY 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bigar_Waterfall_Romania_Travel_Photography_(225471007).jpeg)
- cailor: [Code, CC BY 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Cailor_20230808_ako.jpg)
- cailor: [Code, CC BY 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Cailor_20230808_ako-2.jpg)
- cailor: [Dan Retegan (via ro.wiki), CC BY 2.5](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Cailor1.jpg)
- capra: [Dionisio Calucci, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018_09_21_16_50_55-Panasonic-DC-FZ81-Off-0.jpg)
- capra: [Dionisio Calucci, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018_09_21_16_52_21-Panasonic-DC-FZ81-Off-0.jpg)
- duruitoarea: [Rusnac Valeriu (ro.wiki), Public domain](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Duruitoarea1.JPG)
- duruitoarea: [Genudoc (ro.wiki), Public domain](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_duruitoarea.JPG)
- duruitoarea: [Laurap, CC BY 2.5](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duruitoarea_2.jpg)
- scurtele: [Erdélyi Túrák, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Kurta_v%C3%ADzes%C3%A9s_a_K%C3%A1rp%C3%A1tok_legmagasabb_v%C3%ADzes%C3%A9se.png)
- urlatoarea: [Luca Sironi (Panoramio), CC BY 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cascada_Url%C4%83toarea_-_panoramio.jpg)
- valul-miresei: [Weltandrei, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Valul_Miresei_waterfall_Romania.jpg)
- valul-miresei: [Țetcu Mircea Rareș, CC BY-SA 4.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CascadaValulMiresii_(2).jpg)
- valul-miresei: [Țetcu Mircea Rareș, CC BY-SA 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RO_CJ_Valul_Miresii_waterfall_12.jpg)
- vanturatoarea: [povidiu (Panoramio), CC BY-SA 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanturatoarea_in_aprilie_-_panoramio.jpg)

Photographs: Wikimedia Commons (authors and licences on each image) · Map: OpenStreetMap (ODbL) · Data: Munții Noștri, Welcome to Romania, town halls, OpenCanyon, ANP · Photographs were resized and converted to WebP