Kuzdere – Göynük Yayla [61]

Alternate Path

Kuzdere – Göynük Yayla

ID:

Beautiful mountain section that gives the legs a good workout. In addition to outstanding scenery, there’s a Roman bridge to cross along the way. This is part of the ‘coastal’ variant between Çıralı & Göynük Yayla (though this portion is entirely inland rather than on the coast).

View beside road between Kuzdere and Roman bridge

Image credit:

Anonymous

Essentials

Kuzdere (village)

Göynük Yayla (village)

SE–NW section with Göynük Yayla to the NW.

Long, steady slope rising towards the N except for the very northern bit (near Göynük Yayla) which descends (still towards the N). Overall, the slope is about 11% with some portions exceeding 15%.

Between Kuzdere and the Roman bridge, it is a steady but easy path through a very scenic river valley along a narrow paved road, with mountains towering above you in almost every direction. Between the Roman bridge and Göynük Yayla it follows a mix of rugged mountain trails and easy forest tracks / unpaved roads, mostly following alongside a river bed (except at the upper end).

Way-finding is generally pretty good though make periodic checks of your position again our GPS tracks once N of the Roman bridge.

Metrics

Select the tab below corresponding to the direction you plan to walk.

Towards Göynük Yayla:

Towards Kuzdere:

17.6 km / 10.9 mi

Distance

1,341 m / 4,400 ft

Ascent

560 m / 1,837 ft

Descent

~7.75 hrs

Duration

17.6 km / 10.9 mi

Distance

560 m / 1,837 ft

Ascent

1,341 m / 4,400 ft

Descent

~7.75 hrs

Duration

Handy Things to Know

The following notes are gathered from our own experiences and from feedback sent to us by other hikers. Let us know how we can improve these notes – and thanks!

Water

There are a couple of water sources available, with the one near the Roman bridge seeming to be fairly reliable much of the year. However, bring plenty of water with you just in case (especially for those ascending!).

Highlights

There’s a Roman bridge to cross that is still in excellent condition. If you want to cool off, there are placid swimming spots in the river by the Roman bridge.
The real highlight of this section, though, is the spectacular mountain scenery.

Route Planning

Part way through this section is the branch point for the interior variant between Çıralı and Göynük Yayla, going via Gedelme, Yayla Kuzdere, and Beycik.

Accommodations

Other than at the endpoints there are no accommodation options available and even at the endpoints they are very limited.

Camping

There are several good camping spots, though finding a suitably large flat area to pitch a tent can be a challenge. We’ve marked the best in our GPS file.

Attractions & Highlights

Notable highlights along the trail and at either endpoint include:

Historical Site

Roman Bridge

Between Kuzdere & Göynük Yayla

Accommodations

Here’s what we’re currently tracking for this trail section:

Hotel

Green Valley Hotel

In Kuzdere
Hotel

Gül Mountain Lodge

Near Göynük Yayla
Guesthouse

Kamila Çoşkun’s House / Café

In Göynük Yayla

Wild Camping Locations

Here are the wild camping locations that we’re currently tracking along this trail section:

Wild Campsite

Campsite

Between the Roman bridge and Yayla Göynük
Wild Campsite

Campsite

Between the Roman bridge and Yayla Göynük

Water Sources

Here are the water sources that we’re currently tracking along this trail section or at either endpoint:

Water Source

Fountain

Between the Roman Bridge and Göynük Yayla
Water Source

Water Source by Firepool

South of Göynük Yayla
Water Source

Fountain at Mosque

South of Göynük Yayla

Where to Next?

From Göynük Yayla:

Main Path

Gedelme – Göynük Yayla

Distance

9.2 km / 5.7 mi

Ascent

632 m / 2,073 ft

Descent

470 m / 1,542 ft

Est. Duration

4.25

Mountain section linking Gedelme with Göynük Yayla that is part of the interior route between Çıralı and Göynük Yayla.
Main Path

Göynük Yayla – Göynük Canyon

Distance

12.6 km / 7.8 mi

Ascent

805 m / 2,641 ft

Descent

1,574 m / 5,164 ft

Est. Duration

7.5

Beautiful but frequently rugged and challenging mountain section with many great views and interesting rock formations, with the gorge itself a popular highlight.

From Kuzdere:

Alternate Path

Tekirova – Kuzdere

Distance

18.5 km / 11.5 mi

Ascent

666 m / 2,185 ft

Descent

623 m / 2,044 ft

Est. Duration

6.75 hrs

Winding section that is part of the coastal variant between Çıralı and Göynük Yayla, though most of it is actually inland.

Pretty Pictures

Sometimes nothing beats a good photo. Or even a bad photo! If you’d like to share some or all of your photo collection with the Trekopedia community, contact us at photos@trekopedia.com and we can arrange a transfer of them. And thanks!

All photos are copyright by their respective owners and are used with permission.

Trail between Kuzdere and Göynük Yayla

Photo by
Anonymous

–
Fall 2022
View beside the trail north of the Roman bridge above Kuzdere

Photo by
Anonymous

–
Fall 2022
View from beside mosque between merge point and Göynük Yayla

Photo by
Anonymous

–
Fall 2022

How You Can Help

Trail research is never actually done. Here’s some of what we’re looking for:

✅ More photos! Ideally with geo-location information in the metadata. In addition to using some photos on Trekopedia, we add them to our internal reference database which significantly helps us with trail research. The more photos, the better! If you are willing to share your collection with us, we’d be incredibly grateful. Let us know and we’ll arrange a transfer.

✅ Points of interest. Help us identify (and geo-locate) accommodations, attractions, restaurants, markets, trail waypoints, confusing or problematic junctions, difficult or hazardous places, water sources, and so on.

✅ Tips & recommendations. Share your thoughts with other hikers.

In addition to the above, please see this article for information on more general ways you can help. Thanks!