Çatak Canyon

Çatak Canyon is a canyon located in the Azdavay district of Kastamonu province, Türkiye, formed by river erosion. It is a deep valley created through prolonged erosive activity by rivers and streams.

Çatak Canyon is a geological formation of the Devrekani Çayı, one of the significant rivers of the Western Black Sea Region, situated between the districts of Azdavay and Pınarbaşı. The canyon extends approximately 8 kilometers in a southeast-northwest direction, beginning near Ahat Village, Çatak Neighborhood in Azdavay district. Its depth reaches up to 900 meters in places, with narrow and steep slopes. The waters flowing through the canyon discharge into the Black Sea via the Çatak 1 and Çatak 2 tributaries, which are among Kastamonu’s longest rivers. The total length of the canyon along its northern and southern edges is approximately 6 kilometers.

Opened to the public in September 2017 by the Azdavay Municipality for viewing the canyon landscape, the Çatak Canyon Glass Observation Deck is located on the eastern slope of the canyon, between Çaldağ (1340 m) and Ortaköknarlık Hill (1303 m). The deck is 7 kilometers from the Azdavay district center, 22 kilometers from the Pınarbaşı district center, and 108 kilometers from the city center of Kastamonu. It offers a bird’s-eye view of a large portion of the canyon.

Constructed on a steel framework, the glass observation deck measures 33 meters in length and 10 meters in width, with 15 meters of its structure extending over the canyon’s void. The deck has a total weight of approximately 25 tons of metal and 10 tons of glass, with the total weight over the void reaching about 60 tons. The rear section resting on the rock bed features a steel framework of approximately 18 meters, encased in concrete and wrapped in construction rebar, supporting a load of 900 tons. The deck has a capacity of 250 people and is situated 450 meters above the valley floor of the Çay stream.

^{Çatak Kanyonu (}Kastamonu Belediyesi⁾

Çatak Canyon is one of Kastamonu’s key tourist attractions due to its natural features and scenic views. From the glass observation deck, the 7-kilometer-long canyon void, its vegetation, and wild fauna can be observed. The section from Çatak Bridge, located at the canyon’s starting point, downstream for 1 to 2 kilometers to Nalbantoğlu Village, is continuous and extends further to the İnönü locality.

Çatak Canyon lies within the Küre Mountains National Park and, according to some sources, is the fourth largest canyon in the world. Access to the canyon, located 7 kilometers from the Azdavay district center, is provided via a 6-kilometer vehicle road followed by a 1-kilometer forest walking trail. A panoramic view of the canyon can be observed from the observation point.