Gümeli, Bölüklü and Bacaklı Plateaus
The Alaplı Gümeli forests and plateaus are registered among Türkiye's “105 Natural Monuments”. The plateaus in Gümeli are popular due to their slopes, suitable for various sports and rich with plant and animal diversity.
Nestled within the dense pine forests of Bacaklı are traditional plateau houses and rich flora. Bacaklı is the tallest hill of the city, at 650 meters, and the Bölüklü Plateau at its foot are wonders of nature. Animals such as deer, roe deer, bears, wild boars, wolves, foxes, rabbits, owls, and eagles live in the Gümeli forests. The yew tree on Gümeli Plateau, determined to be 4117 years old as of 2021, is the fifth oldest tree in the world and the oldest one in Türkiye.
The plateau in the Alaplı district is at the foot of the Bacaklı Plateau, the highest spot in the city. Here, nomadic grazing traditions are still maintained. Bölüklü Plateau is 92 km from Zonguldak and 40 km from Alaplı.