Şahin Yaylası - Esençay

Good to know

• Tourist attraction
• Open 24 hoursEvery day
• Good for kids
• 4.5 / 522 reviews
• Amasya

What Makes It Special

Şahin Yaylası started life as a traditional summer pasture — a yayla in the old Anatolian sense — but the construction of a village-services irrigation pond in 2000 transformed it into the district's most popular natural recreation site after the celebrated Borabay Lake. Wooden-roofed gazebos (kamelyalar) dot the pond's shores, giving families shaded spots to spread a picnic while the forest climbs steeply on every side. At 1,100 metres the air is noticeably cooler and cleaner than the plains below, and the still water has a deep emerald tint that shifts beautifully with the light.↗↗

The area is threaded with local medicinal herbs — wild sage, St. John's wort and stinging nettle grow along the trails — and the stream water running from the plateau is ice-cold and drinkable, according to long-time visitors. It is also the site of seasonal cultural festivals organised by the Esençay community, when the normally quiet glade fills with music, food stalls and local crafts.↗↗

Hiking the 8-A Trail

Şahin Yaylası sits directly on the officially waymarked Route 8-A — the Amasya–Taşova–Esençay–Şahin Yaylası Long-Distance Walking Route — one of the province's recognised recreational hiking corridors. Walking sections of the trail takes you through mixed woodland where shafts of light break through the canopy, past old pasture clearings and along ridgelines with views back toward the Yeşilırmak valley. The silence at altitude is the main reward: away from the pond and the gazebo clusters you'll hear only birds and wind through the pines.↗

Camping Under the Stars

With no gates, no opening hours and thick forest in every direction, the yayla has become an informal but well-liked campsite for tent and caravan campers. There are no hookups, no toilets in reliable condition and no phone signal in most of the clearing, but the trade-off is deep silence, clean air and a sky unpolluted by artificial light. Bring everything you need — water, food, firewood or a gas stove — and be prepared to carry out all waste.↗↗

Photography and Seasonal Colours

The pond's north shore is the classic composition: a calm mirror reflecting the forest wall above, often veiled in early-morning mist. Late September and the first weeks of October bring a spectacular colour transition as yellows and oranges bleed into the evergreens — photographers who time their visit for this window return with the strongest frames of the year. The gazebo cluster also works well for a wide-angle shot combining human-scale picnic life against the sweeping green backdrop.↗

Getting There

The only practical access is by private vehicle. From Taşova town centre, head toward Erbaa on the main road and turn at the Esençay sign, then follow a roughly 7-kilometre forest track that climbs to the plateau. The final stretch is a rough, narrow and winding mountain road; drivers of low-slung cars are warned that it can be punishing, and the local advice is to ask villagers for directions rather than trusting a navigation app blindly, since shortcut suggestions can lead to impassable mud tracks.↗↗

Public transport does not reach the yayla. Regular minibuses run between Amasya city and Taşova, but the last leg must be covered by taxi or hitching a lift with locals — a reasonable option in summer when villagers are heading up to the pastures.↗

Practical Tips

There are no permanent restaurants or shops at the yayla. Stock up in Taşova before the climb: the town's small eateries serve Amasya-region classics — tarhana soup, stuffed vine leaves and flaky börek — that travel well in a picnic basket. Entry to the plateau is free and it is open around the clock.↗↗

Best months are June through September, when the pond glows its deepest green and the altitude keeps temperatures comfortable even in peak summer heat. May can be lovely but unpredictable; winter access becomes hazardous with snow and ice. Bring an extra layer for evening coolness, sturdy shoes for trail walking, and a torch if you plan to stay after dark. The area is not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly.↗