In the forested mountains of Bolu province, about halfway between Istanbul and Ankara, lies one of Turkey’s most beautiful and most visited natural parks: Yedigoller, the Seven Lakes. A chain of lakes formed by ancient landslides, surrounded by beech forest and set in the green hills of the western Black Sea region, the park is famous above all for its autumn colours, when the forest turns gold and the lakes mirror the blaze. This complete guide covers everything you need to explore the park, from the lakes themselves to the walking, the camping, and the practical details.
The Seven Lakes in Brief
Yedigoller National Park takes its name from the seven lakes that lie within its boundaries, in the hills of Bolu province in northwestern Turkey. The park was declared in 1965, protecting the lakes and the surrounding forest as a single landscape.
The lakes are the heart of the park, and each has its own name and character. The largest are the big and small lakes, the deepest bears the name of the deep lake, and the others, from the cool lake to the dry lake, have their own corners of the forest.
The park is one of Turkey’s most popular natural destinations, drawing visitors for the day from Istanbul and Ankara and for longer stays of camping, walking, and photography. Its fame rests on the autumn colours, but the park is beautiful in every season, with the misty greens of spring and summer and the quiet white of winter among its moods.
How the Lakes Were Made
The story of the lakes begins with the mountains themselves. The hills around the park are old, worn country, and the streams that drain them have carved their valleys over millions of years.
At some point in the past, the story took a dramatic turn: landslides from the valley sides dammed the streams, and the water backed up behind the natural barriers, forming the lakes. The seven lakes are the result of these ancient slips.
The landslide origin explains the lakes’ shapes: they sit along the valley lines, each held by its own wall of slumped ground. The geology gives the park its character, a landscape shaped by catastrophe into calm.
The Lakes One by One
The seven lakes are the park’s main characters. The largest, Big Lake, is the centre of the park’s life, with its shore road, its picnic areas, and its walking trails. Beside it, Small Lake lies quiet and reedy.
The deep lake lives up to its name, its dark water holding the park’s greatest depths, while the cool lake and the coy lake have their own sheltered corners of the forest. The dry lake, the smallest, dries to a marshy hollow in late summer.
Each lake has its own atmosphere, and the walks link them in a chain through the forest. Between the lakes, the streams and the little waterfalls add the sound of water to the stillness of the woods.
The Beech Forests
The forest around the lakes is the park’s other great attraction: stands of beech that are among the finest in Turkey, their smooth trunks rising through the green half-light of the woods.
The beeches are at their best in autumn, when the canopy turns through yellow to gold and the forest floor becomes a carpet of fallen leaves. The light filtering through the golden canopy is the park’s most famous sight.
The forest is more than the beeches: oaks, pines, and hornbeam grow among them, and the undergrowth carries the ferns, mosses, and wildflowers of the Black Sea region. The woods are cool, quiet, and full of life, and the paths through them are the park’s gentle arteries.
The Autumn Glory
Autumn is Yedigoller’s great season, and the park’s fame rests on it. From late October, the beech forest turns through the whole spectrum of gold, and the lakes mirror the blaze on their still surfaces.
The autumn visitors come for the colours, and the park is at its busiest, with the road through the lakes lined with cars and the shores crowded with picnickers and photographers. The colours are worth it, but the crowds are part of the season.
For those who want the park’s beauty without the crowds, the weeks around the colour change, or a weekday visit, make the difference. The autumn light on the lakes is the image that has made Yedigoller famous.
Walking and Trails
The park is made for walking, with trails that link the lakes through the forest. The easiest walks follow the lakeshore, level and shaded, while the longer routes climb into the hills above the water.
The classic walk is the circuit of the lakes, a gentle route that takes the visitor past all seven bodies of water, through the beech forest and over the little streams and footbridges. It takes a few hours at a relaxed pace, with plenty of stops for the views and the photographs, and it suits walkers of almost every age.
The higher trails climb to viewpoints over the lakes, where the whole chain of water appears through the trees, and the forest roads extend the walking further into the hills. The park is small enough that a day of walking covers its heart, and the trails are easy enough for families, with the streams and the picnic spots breaking the route.
Camping in the Park
Camping is part of the Yedigoller tradition, and the park has designated camping areas beside the lakes. The sites are simple, with basic facilities, and the forest and the water make the setting extraordinary.
The camping season runs through the summer and into the autumn, when the colours bring the last campers of the year for the golden mornings. The lakeshores fill on summer weekends, and the atmosphere is sociable and family-friendly, with the barbecue smoke and the children playing by the water.
Camping in the park means waking to the mist on the water and the sound of the forest, and it is the way many regular visitors know the park best. Booking is not taken in the usual sense; the sites are first come, first served.
Getting There
Yedigoller lies in Bolu province, about three hours from Istanbul and under three from Ankara, making it one of the most accessible national parks in Turkey. The approach road climbs from the main highway into the hills.
The park road enters from the north, through the forest, and ends among the lakes, where the parking and the picnic areas are laid out. The final approach is winding but sealed, and it is fine for normal cars.
From Istanbul, the drive passes through the western Black Sea countryside, and from Ankara it crosses the plains before the hills begin. The park works perfectly as a long day trip from either city.
Where to Stay
The park itself offers camping, and the nearest towns provide the alternatives. The town of Bolu, a short drive away, has the full range of hotels and restaurants, and it is the practical base for many visitors.
The villages around the park have guesthouses and small pensions, offering a closer base with the forest atmosphere and the local food of the region. They are simple and welcoming, and they let you reach the park for the early morning light, when the mist lies on the lakes and the forest is at its quietest.
For most visitors, the choice is between camping in the park and staying in Bolu or a village. The campers get the dawn; the town visitors get comfort; both get the same lakes.
Practical Notes
The park has an entrance fee, collected at the gate, and the facilities, including the picnic areas, the camping sites, and the toilets, are maintained for visitors. The fee is simple and collected in cash.
The practical needs are straightforward: walking shoes, weather layers for the changeable hills, and food and water for the day, as the park’s facilities are basic. In autumn, arrive early, as the park fills quickly and the parking goes fast, and the morning light on the golden lakes is the best light of the day.
The park is popular, and its popularity brings pressure, so the rules matter: keep to the paths, carry out your rubbish, and leave the lakes and the forest as you found them. The park’s beauty is fragile, and it depends on the visitors who love it.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the autumn colours?
The beech forest turns through late October and early November, with the peak usually arriving in the first half of November, when the golden canopy is at its fullest. The colours depend on the weather of the season, the rains and the frosts, so check recent reports before travelling. The park is beautiful before and after the peak, and a weekday visit avoids the crowds that fill the weekends.
Can you swim in the lakes?
The lakes are cold, fed by springs and mountain streams, and swimming is not the park’s purpose, though the hardy do take a dip on the hottest summer days. The shores are mostly reedy and muddy, so the picnic, the walk, and the photography are the better plan. The water is clean and clear, and the setting of the lakes among the forest is what the park is really about.
Is the park suitable for a day trip?
Yes, easily. The park lies about three hours from both Istanbul and Ankara, so a long day is comfortable, with the morning for the lakes, a picnic lunch by the water, and the afternoon for the walking trails. The approach road is good, and the park is well set up for day visitors. For the autumn colours or a relaxed weekend, camping or a night in Bolu makes the visit far more enjoyable.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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