National park · Türkiye (Turkey)
Ilgaz National ParkIlgaz Dağı Milli Parkı
Drive up the old D765 from Cömert or Bostan, park at the 1850 m crest and walk a forest trail before 10:00; ski at Ilgaz or Yıldıztepe in Jan–Mar. No public transport reaches the mountain, so come by car.Drive up the old D765 from Cömert or Bostan, park at the 1850 m crest and walk a forest trail before 10:00 AM; ski at Ilgaz or Yıldıztepe in Jan–Mar. No public transport reaches the mountain, so come by car.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
11 km² (4 sq mi)4 sq mi (11 km²)
approximate
Established
1976
Best months
May–Jul, Sep–Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 5
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Check whether your passport is visa-exempt; if it is not, apply only at evisa.gov.tr — lookalike sites charge extra and some sell nothing.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗At mosques cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off at the door, and women carry a headscarf; stay out during prayer times.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Taxis must run the taximeter; refuse flat quotes, or book through BiTaksi or Uber so the ride is logged.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Carry lira in small notes for tea, markets, tips and toilets; prices move with inflation, so treat every printed price as dated.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Do not take stones, coins or tiles from ancient sites, and export no antiques without a museum certificate; travellers have been detained at airport customs.
At a glance
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Area
- 11 km² (4 sq mi)4 sq mi (11 km²)
- The national park is a small core of the wider Ilgaz range; the protected area figure varies by source (check).
- Established
- 1976
- Best months
- May–Jul, Sep–Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Kastamonu
Ilgaz National Park protects a small core of spruce forest on the Pontic range above the old Ankara–Kastamonu highway, declared in 1976. The D765 now runs through the 5.4 km Ilgaz Tunnel, so reaching the mountain means leaving the motorway at Cömert or Bostan and climbing the old road to its 1850 m crest, where trails start straight from the roadside. Two small ski areas, Ilgaz and Yıldıztepe, work the same slopes in winter. There is no public transport on the mountain road, so the park is a car trip: a half-day forest walk from the pass, or a ski weekend based at one of the resort hotels.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1976.
Size and age
11 km² (4 sq mi)4 sq mi (11 km²) · national park since 1976
The national park is a small core of the wider Ilgaz range; the protected area figure varies by source (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Kastamonu.
Why go
- Dark spruce forest on the Pontic range, with a stark change from the dry Anatolian plains just south.
- The old mountain highway crests at 1850 m, so you can walk straight from the car park into the trees.
- Two small ski areas — Ilgaz and Yıldıztepe — with reliable snow and beginner-friendly runs.
- Bears, wolves and eagles live in these forests, though sightings are rare.
When to go
- JanGo
- FebGo
- MarGo
- AprCaution
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulBest
- AugGo
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovCaution
- DecGo
- JanDeep snow; ski season, chains needed
- FebBest snow cover; cold
- MarSkiing continues; snow can fall late
- AprSnow possible; trails wet
- MayGreen forest, mild days
- JunLong days, wildflowers
- JulWarmest, driest; cool at altitude
- AugWarm; afternoon haze
- SepClear, quiet, good walking
- OctAutumn colour; cold nights
- NovFirst snow; short days
- DecSnow builds; ski lifts open (check)
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown bearsApr–Oct · Rare; active at dawn and dusk in the forest. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| WolvesAll year · Present but almost never seen. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Eagles and other raptorsApr–Sep · Look over the valleys from the pass. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Wildflowers in the spruce forestMay–Jul | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Ankara
Drive the D765 north via Çankırı; leave the motorway at Cömert for the old mountain road.
3–3.5 h
Open the page →
From Kastamonu
Drive south on the D765; branch off at Bostan for the old highway and follow brown park signs.
1–1.5 h
Open the page →
From Çankırı
North on the D765 to the Cömert turn-off, then the old highway to the crest.
1–1.5 h
From Istanbul
Drive east via Bolu and the D765, or fly to Ankara and hire a car.
5–6 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Old highway crest | The 1850 m pass, highway depot and the start of the easiest forest walks. | Open; park on the roadside. |
| Ilgaz ski area | Chairlifts and teleskis from 1870 m to 2030 m, four forested runs. | Lift ticket in winter. |
| Yıldıztepe | A second ski area reached by a minor road, with a chairlift from 1500 m to 1877 m. | Minor road; snow chains may be needed. |
| Forest core | Spruce forest and valleys inside the national park boundary. | Walk in on marked trails; no facilities. |
Sketch map
- 1Old highway crest · Viewpoint≈41.073, 33.807Approximate; the 1850 m pass on the old D765.Map ↗
- 2Ilgaz ski area · Sleep≈41.081, 33.732Approximate; lift base at about 1870 m.Map ↗
- 3Yıldıztepe ski area · Sleep≈41.041, 33.787Approximate; chairlift base at about 1500 m.Map ↗
- 4Cömert turn-off · Gate≈41.020, 33.700Approximate; leave the D765 here for the old mountain road northbound.Map ↗
- 5Ilgaz town · Town≈41.070, 33.620Approximate; small town on the D765, limited retail.Map ↗
Take the points offline
5 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions around the pass and the two ski areas, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| National park entry (vehicle and occupants) | Free | vehicle | No gate fee is confirmed for the park itself; the toll-free Ilgaz Tunnel and the old highway are free to use (check). |
| Ilgaz ski lift day pass | TRY 500–1,200 (≈ US$13–30) | person | 2026 estimate; resort prices change each season (check). |
| Yıldıztepe chairlift | TRY 400–1,000 (≈ US$10–25) | person | 2026 estimate; the hotel also runs a tractor tow (check). |
| Fuel from the D765/E80 junction station | Free | litre | Fill up here or in a big city; Ilgaz town has little retail. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry no permit
Ski lift ticket permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- ₺500–1,200≈ US$13–30
- ₺400–1,000≈ US$10–25
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on Ilgaz Dağı National Park (official) before you go.
Park rules
- Snow chains
- Carry them from November to April; the Yıldıztepe minor road is the first to need them.
- Parking
- Do not leave valuables on display in a parked car.
- Fires
- No open fires in the forest; the spruce stands are dry in summer.
- Trails
- Stay on marked tracks; there is no public transport on the mountain road and phone coverage is patchy.
Where to stay
In the park
Jura Ilgaz Mountain Resort
Large resort by the Ilgaz ski lifts; B&B double from about 4000 TL (2026 estimate, check).
In the park
Derbent Hotel
Old-fashioned hotel near the road summit.
In the park
Ilgaz Nolana Mountain Resort
Hotel at Yıldıztepe by the ski lifts; B&B double from about 3500 TL (2026 estimate, check).
Near the park
Kastamonu
Provincial town with more choice of hotels, 1–1.5 h north.
Safety
Slippery winter roads high
Cold and sudden weather changes medium
No phone signal medium
Getting lost on forest tracks medium
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The old highway crest and roadside viewpoints are reachable by car with no walking.
- Ski resort bases have vehicle access; forest trails are rough and not suitable for limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Take all rubbish back down; there are few bins on the mountain.
- Keep to marked tracks to avoid trampling the spruce undergrowth.
- Buy fuel and supplies in Çankırı or Kastamonu rather than relying on the small village shops.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Ilgaz National Park?
There is no confirmed gate fee for the park itself; the old highway and the Ilgaz Tunnel are toll-free. You pay for ski lift tickets, roughly 500–1200 TL a day at Ilgaz and 400–1000 TL at Yıldıztepe (2026 estimate, check).
What are the best hikes in Ilgaz National Park?
The easiest walking starts at the 1850 m crest of the old highway, where forest tracks run for 2–3 hours with gentle grades. Longer routes into the spruce valleys are unsigned, so take a map or offline app and tell someone your plan.
When is the best time to visit Ilgaz National Park?
May to July and September to October for walking, with green forest and mild days. January to March is the ski season, when snow is reliable but the roads need chains. Snow can fall as late as April.
Do I need a car to visit Ilgaz National Park?
Yes. There is no public transport on the mountain road. Drive the D765 from Ankara via Çankırı or from Kastamonu, then branch onto the old highway at Cömert or Bostan and follow the brown park signs.
Can I ski at Ilgaz National Park?
Yes, at two small areas. Ilgaz ski resort runs chairlifts and teleskis from 1870 m to 2030 m on four forested runs, and Yıldıztepe has a chairlift from 1500 m to 1877 m. Both suit beginners and nervous intermediates.
Is there mobile phone signal on the mountain?
Coverage is patchy. The resorts and the approach highway from the south have 4G from Türk Telekom, other carriers are weaker, and there is no signal in the Ilgaz Tunnel.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go