From 1958 to today: places to see in Yozgat Çamlık, Turkey's first national park
South of the Yozgat city center, Çamlık National Park sits inside one of Central Anatolia's last black pine forests and carries the title of Turkey's first national park. Today, across 517 hectares, it offers visitors everything from a lakeside picnic area and walking trails to a campsite and an animal shelter.
Connected to the Yozgat city center by a paved road, the park lies about 2 kilometers from downtown. Declared a national park on 5 February 1958, the area originally covered 267 hectares; its boundaries were redrawn by a presidential decree in 2022 and expanded to 517 hectares. This expansion shows that Turkey's first national park, located so close to a city center, is still growing today.
Central Anatolia's last black pine forest
Some of the black pine (Pinus nigra) trees that form the backbone of the park are 400 to 500 years old. Spread across an elevation range of 1,400-1,600 meters, this forested area is counted among the last surviving remnants of black pine forests in Central Anatolia. Within the national park's boundaries, 212 plant species belonging to 43 families and 144 genera have been identified; around 30 of them are endemic. The park sits at an altitude ranging from 1,350 to 1,647 meters above sea level, which sustains both its plant diversity and a microclimate that stays cool even in summer.
Picnics by the lake, exhibits at the nature education center
Cevdet Dündar Lake is one of the spots visitors most often choose for picnics. The landscaped areas around the lake have become a gathering point for family visits and group picnics. The park also houses a Nature Education Center that combines a library, a herbarium and an exhibition hall, displaying samples of the region's flora and fauna. The spring known as Erbiz is a natural source that meets the park's drinking water needs.
Within the national park boundaries, a zoo and a temporary animal shelter are also in operation. These facilities exist to observe and treat injured or otherwise needy animals found in the park.
Year-round activity with walking and cycling trails
Two separate circuit routes, 3,000 meters and 8,000 meters long, have been laid out in the area for nature walks. The same trails can also be used for mountain biking; visitors can complete these routes either accompanied by national park staff or on their own. The park also features visitor-oriented facilities such as a 3-star hotel, a campsite, a countryside restaurant, a cafeteria, an amphitheater, viewing terraces and a car park.
Spring and summer mornings stand out as the best time to visit, when a misty, cool atmosphere accompanied by birdsong prevails. Sunset views are also among the park's most shared moments. For visitors coming to Yozgat, Çamlık National Park, thanks to its closeness to the city center, remains a destination suited both to a day trip and to camping.
