Köprülü Canyon (Turkish: Köprülü Kanyon) is a canyon and a National Park in the Province of Antalya, Turkey. Covering an area of 366 km2 (141 sq mi), it was established as a national park by the Ministry of Forest on December 12, 1973.
The canyon is 400 m (1,300 ft) deep in some places and stretches for 14 km (8.7 mi) along the Köprü River. At the resting area, there are fish restaurants offering delicious food especially fresh trout. The Roman Oluklu Bridge ( Olukluköprü ) over the canyon and the Bugrum Bridge over the Kocadere stream were engineering feats of their time.
Koprulu Canyon is thickly covered in cedar trees and its resemblance to the " fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia, albeit in the from of nature, is striking. The ancient stone bridge straddling the Kopru stream is still in use today.
Highlights : The Koprulu River is ideal for rafting and camping, with trees along one side of the bank. It forms a valley between the villages of Bolasan and Beskonak, the walls of which are as high as 100m, and at 14km is the longest canyon in Turkey. Pine, cypress and cedar trees form the ecosystem of the area, and the Mediterranean cypress forest, at 400 hectares wide, is the most significant flora characteristic in the park. Hunting in the area has meant that the number of species of animals has decreased, and now the most significant wildlife includes deer, mountain goats, bears, foxes, wolves, rabbits and badgers. There are plenty of trout in various branches of the River Koprulu. Apart from the natural beauty, other places of interest include the ruins of the Roman city of Selge, 12km away.
