Hoia-Baciu Forest

About Hoia-Baciu Forest

At a glance: Parks and gardens in Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 1½ – 2 hours. Information verified on 11 October 2026.

Hoia Forest, of which Hoia-Baciu is the best-known part, covers the hill west of Cluj-Napoca, between the Grigorescu district, Tăietura Turcului and the valley of the Nadăș river, less than 5 km from the city centre. It is a broadleaf forest of sessile oak, hornbeam, downy oak, lime and maple, which locals have long used for walks, running and cycling. Sources give different sizes, from ~300 ha (the press figure) to 295 ha on Wikipedia; only the 12 ha of downy oak, on the territory of Florești commune, are a protected area (the Natura 2000 site ROSCI0146), and the rest of the forest has no protection status.

Its fame comes from stories, not verified facts. The name is tied to a shepherd who is said to have entered the forest with his flock of sheep and never come back. Other legends speak of a girl who vanished for five years and reappeared with no memories, or of electronic devices that would fail; none of this has any evidence. The most quoted episode dates from 1968, when the military technician Emil Barnea photographed what he called UFOs above the Round Clearing (Poiana Rotundă), in the western part of the forest. The clearing, where no trees grow, is still the place curious visitors head for. Sceptics say these are just campfire stories; the only oddity visible to the naked eye is the large number of trees with curved or twisted trunks, for which there is no confirmed explanation.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: the forest is ~5 km from the centre of Cluj, and the most used entrance is on Tăietura Turcului, at the Ethnographic Park. Car access along the road through the forest is disputed by residents and activists, and the barriers put up no longer work, so leave the car at the edge of the forest and continue on foot. From Grigorescu you enter by Uliului street or by the steps on Aleea Bucura, and from the north, from Baciu commune, by Cheile Baciului street.

Public transport: there is no confirmed direct connection to the entrances of the forest; check in the CTP Cluj-Napoca app for the stops nearest to Tăietura Turcului or Grigorescu.

Fees & discounts

Entering the forest is free, as can be seen on site; guided tours, by day or night, run by local guides cost extra, and prices differ from one organiser to another. The Ethnographic Park, at the edge of the forest, has a separate ticket.

Rules

Stay on the paths and do not leave litter. Do not light fires or cut trees: the forest is under pressure from logging. Keep in mind that cyclists and runners use it too. Tell someone where you are going and take a head torch if you are late; if needed, call 112.

Facilities

Paths and forest tracks · springs with drinking water on the northern edge · picnic areas and a bike park (planned in the 2026 project) · no toilets and no shops in the forest · Ethnographic Park at the edge