[LTT#319] Getting Lost Inside the World's Most Haunted Forest (Pădurea Hoia-Baciu, Transylvania)

How should I begin this post? Thinking, thinking...

You know what? I'll let it speak for itself. As this is one of the most interesting experiences I had in my life so far, so let's skip the introduction, shall we?

Normally, I'd have a different post for today, but I only figured out that Halloween is around the corner, so there was no other option than finally writing about Pădurea Hoia-Baciu which is known as one of the world's most creepy, scary and mysterious forests.

I actually had a plan to write about this one since last year but there was no better moment than unveiling the story than around Halloween, so here we go!

I'll begin by saying that I visited this place three times before writing down the post, to make sure that I see as much as possible of the forest (because it's a fairly large one) and obviously, to come up with an objective feedback based on all the things that are being said about Hoia-Baciu Forest.

... and yes, I'll translate that message from the stone for you: Watch out on aliens! 👽

I know this might sound funny so far, but believe me. No rumours or legends are ever started just like that, so do get ready for some spooky confessions.

The first time we ended up exploring (or trying to) Hoia-Baciu Forest was from pure mistake. As we had a one-day trip in Cluj and we basically drove along the forest we thought about stopping for a couple of minutes there before heading home.

But the mud, bad weather, and the impossibility of advancing in the forest without getting at least 10cm in the soil, kept us away from it.

Funny thing is that, both on our 2nd and 3rd attempts, we found pretty much the same conditions - clouds, spontaneous rain, lots of mud, and definitely not one of the happiest or most welcoming sceneries in front of us.

This made me conclude that no matter the season when you want to visit the forest, you'll always find the same conditions. I even watched videos on YouTube from all kinds of vloggers who visited this place, and it always rained. Even when the weather websites showed 0% chance of rain.

Click on the images to see them in full resolution

And speaking of YouTube vloggers that visited this place, find out that not for a couple of times the bravest ones decide to camp in the forest for a proper experience.

While walking around the forest comes with a sad, minimalist and silent scenery, things are the opposite once you get inside Pădurea Hoia-Baciu which comes with lots of weird-looking trees, mysterious messages scratched on the tree trunks, and who knows what else.

I'll leave down below some of the most popular images you will find if you google Hoia-Baciu.

^{Source: www.monitorulcj.ro}

^{Source: www.mybestplace.com}

^{Source: www.youtube.com}

Now, after seeing all of these, I bet things start to get a bit more serious, right?

There are really lots of details to put in this post about this place, so let's give it another shot of starting with the beginning even if it's very easy to get distracted with all the thoughts and information that is currently running in my head.

Pădurea Hoia-Baciu is located on the western side of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and it covers a total surface of 3 square kilometres.
Only 12 hectares of the forest represent a protected area, but even so, I've often read that not even Hoia-Baciu Forest can stay away from the illegal deforestation that happens in Romania every single minute.
The forest represents both a wild and common place to visit as there are various entrances to it, one of its sides being almost linked with a popular museum in town which also comes with a paved path where bikers can have a ride, but that's the single entrance we did not test out yet because we were more eager for the unknown and to see the forest in its true wilderness.
Doing so, came with both a strange feeling of not being able to see other tourists, but also with a fear that I usually never feel during my trips, no matter how mysterious they are or not.
So, if the forest did not share a message to you already, here are some of the most popular stories about it.

In 1950 the biologist Alexandru Sift claimed to have photographed various "strange, hazy-looking shapes" with his camera, BUT the images were never published for unknown reasons.

Shortly after, the chemist Adrian Pătruț published some articles about paranormal phenomena that took place in the forest during his visit that caused hallucinations and different energies at the psychic level, BUT also in this case, there was no proof for his statements.

Things got a bit more serious in 1968 when the military technician Emil Barnea took photos of some strange objects that he stated were UFOs. That was the moment when the forest gained global attention and all kinds of teams of science visited it countless times, reminding of articles written for BBC, The Guardian and The Independent.

There was another story with a girl that was last time seen in the forest before being gone missing and even if hundreds of people searched for her body, she only appeared 5 years later, in the exact same spot where she was last seen, but without remembering anything about what happened to her in this whole time.

Another saying is about the so-called geomagnetic anomaly that causes sudden discharge of electronic devices, which I can also confirm as in all three visits I had there, I could see the battery going down on my phone without even using it. Plus, there was no signal at all, not even outside the forest but still close to it.

Click on the images to see them in full resolution

A good thing though, is that there are organised guided tours which can share lots more details and personal experiences than what you will find on the internet, speaking about tourists who showed interest from Australia, America, Taiwan, China, Japan and lots of Europeans.

One of the most interesting people who came to see Pădurea Hoia-Baciu with his own eyes is the great-grandson of Bram Stoker, who's the author behind Dracula's book and the legends around it. So if you are used to making a connection between Romania and Dracula and still find it fascinating, do give a try to this forest, as you will end up feeling some shivers go down your spine for real.

I'll leave down below some of the most interesting images I captured during my visits to Hoia-Baciu Forest.

^{"You've been here!" message written in Romanian}

^{A very weird-looking tree trunk with a very stiff texture as well}

^{Maybe it's just an illusion but there seemed like being a small face inside that tree trunk}

^{Unidentified marks
They made me think of the Virgo astrological sign but they surely have a different meaning}

^{Some arrows showing the way but which we followed and led to nowhere}

^{Floating trees}

Along with the bent trees that create the strangest scenery, there was also a little glade that we found on the map while zooming in and out, known as Poiana Rotunda (EN: The Round Glade).

This was the last spot we visited as part of the forest before heading home as there were literally endless paths starting from here and it was very easy to get lost.
In fact, this is the place where the story with the missing girl was born, as well as where those UFOs are said to be 'parked' when they were spotted by the military guy.
Yet in the same place, a shepherd who's name was Hoia-Baciu disappeared along with his flock of around 200 sheeps and was never found.
I've never seen a UFO and I am not curious to see one either, but based on the crazy round shape of the glade and its sizes that don't have any trees bothering the landscape, adds another pinch of credibility to the overall story.
However, we weren't able to notice the region with so many bent trees as shown at the beginning of this post, nor the scary and dry tree trunks also attached there.

What I can confirm though, is that both my GoPro and phone were acting weird while being in that place, the camera refusing to turn on and off every time I wanted to, and the phone battery running out while looking at it. There are also lots of places that make you easily spot weird shapes with a bit of creativity. Lots of scientists are saying that at night there are screams and noises of crackling trees even if there is no wind outside. I can't say anything about the screams as we left the forest when the sun was setting but there are indeed lots of weird sounds and the crackling trees are very popular.

The muddy scenery and paths that seem like ending in a maze are not missing either. The thing that adds a personal touch is that those trees with a weird-looking shape are always dry and somehow they still survive in front of the global warming and the season change which makes it very weird from my point of view.

Creepily, this particular patch of the forest is where nothing grows. It’s almost as if all the trees and plants just stop growing around this oval patch in the ground.

If you already become a fan of all the sayings about Hoia-Baciu Forest, here are some more before having this post come to an end:

• there are many reports of UFO sightings that have been made there over the years. Some visitors said they have seen strange lights and objects in the sky, while others have reported encountering alien beings.
• most of the people who stop by, mention strange sensations, such as dizziness, nausea, and a feeling of disorientation. I also got some weird headaches back then and both I and my whole family had a strange feeling of disorientation when being around the glade.
• the forest is said to be haunted by the ghosts of people who died there, including soldiers who fought in the battles that took place in this area. Visitors have also reported to see ghostly figures and hear strange voices, especially at night.
• the round glade shown before is also mentioned in studies as being a portal to a different world which can be very easily compared with the famous 'Bermuda Triangle' or 'Devil's Triangle'.
• the forest has been the main subject of plenty of scientific research, including studies of its magnetic fields and electromagnetic phenomena which are still happening these days too.
• there are investigations showing that the soil here has the power to attract witches, sword-wielding Americans, and people who try to cleanse the forest of evil through the medium of yoga.

And here you can read even more of that, which is shared by Alex, the guy who organizes guided tours and who might know this forest the best.

Click on the images to see them in full resolution

On one of the paths we followed to reach the forest, we found some sort of a lake right where the road was ending. This has no name and even if it doesn't stir too much curiosity at first, I bet there are some good stories to be born here based on all the sayings Hoia-Baciu Forest is part of.

On a different path we followed, we met no lake, but a bunch of cats. At least 10 of them. As a cat mom, I was more focused on trying to pet them than taking a picture, so I only managed to take a shot of two of them.

Oh, and don't pay too much attention to my smile. That was the most forced smile in my entire life. Just like I mentioned, there is indeed a very strange feeling to be around that place even if many stories that are being told can't be 100% proven. I still wanted to have a memory of my face as being part of the overall scenery though.

Call it paranormal or just some really creative imagination, but Hoia Baciu Forest is definitely unique and mysterious, to say the least.

---

Hoia-Baciu Forest is located on the western side of Cluj-Napoca, and there are ways of accessing it from pretty much any direction you would come. The most accessible and popular one is from the Baciu side which takes you the closest to the glade either with your own car or with a bus, the road being pretty much paved.

We followed all the way through the forest and to the glade by walking and there is a fairly long distance from the paved road indeed. But as I said there are plenty of ways of access and you will get to see the same strange trees in pretty much all parts of the forest.

Other articles from my Romania Tour 2023:

• The Blue Lagoon of Cluj (Laguna Albastră)
• Ciucaș Waterfall... or beer? (Cascada Ciucaș)
• The Sequoia Tree from Romania
• Șapte culori ale Pământului (The 7 Colors of the Earth, Romania)
• The Gypsy Palaces of Huedin, Romania
• Lacul Tarzan (Tarzan Lake of Romania)
• Gresiile de pe Stânca Dracului (The Devil's Rock)
• Cetatea Trascăului (Trascău Fortress)
• Grădina Zmeilor (The Garden of Kites)
• Tarnița Lake and Tarnița Dam
• Piatra Corbilor (The Raven Stone)
• Mihai Vodă Monastery and His Graveyard
• Fortress of Bologa (Cetatea Bologa)
• Pădurea Hoia-Baciu (World's Most Haunted Forest)

more coming soon...

^{Gabriela Travels is the FOUNDER of "Festival Mania" who started this community from the passion of attending various festivals and with the purpose of encouraging more people to explore festivals all around the world and share their experiences. At the same time, Gabriela is an independent Graphic Design Freelancer since 2019 completing over 600+ orders in this time and collaborating with various businesses and people from all over the globe. Additionally, Gabriela has her own corner on the internet since 2017 where she writes various articles for her blog, the most popular being the travel ones (300+ articles written on this field), but also approaching other topics as well, like game reviews, lets plays, movie and series reviews, photography posts, cooking recipes and more, boosting the total number of articles written to 700+ blog posts. Gabriela is also a gamer since she was 11 years old and gaming remains one of her biggest passions along with traveling, owning a YouTube channel for each of the two.}

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