The Crooked Forest – An Unsolved Mystery
The cause of the peculiar bend in the 400 pine trees in the Crooked Forest near Gryfino, West Pomerania in Poland remains a mystery to this day. The trees, planted around 1930 in what was then the German province of Pomerania, have a sharp 90-degree bend at their base, before growing straight towards the sky. Despite this unnatural curvature, the trees are healthy and can reach up to 50 feet tall.
Photo by depositphotos.com
Various theories have been proposed but none have been proven. Some claim that a unique gravitational pull was responsible, but this is not supported by science as gravity pulls downwards, not at a curve. Others suggest that heavy snowfall caused the trees to grow crookedly, but this theory doesn’t explain why other trees in the area were not affected. Some believe that the trees were grown for wooden cartwheels, but the most widely accepted theory is that local farmers manipulated the trees when they planted them in 1930. The trees were around 7-10 years old when they underwent the force that caused their curvature.
Despite numerous attempts, the mystery of the Crooked Forest remains unsolved. The town of Gryfino was largely deserted during World War II, and the people who might have known the truth about the pine trees’ bend are likely no longer alive.
Photo by depositphotos.com
Season 1, Episode 4 of The UnXplained on the History channel, entitled “Unnatural Nature,” featured the forest and first aired on August 9th, 2019.
Getting there
The location is accessible to visitors and is a well-known tourist destination in the area. The Crooked Forest is located near the town of Gryfino in West Pomerania, Poland. The best way to reach the forest would be by road, either by car or by public transportation. You can also fly into a nearby airport and then take a taxi or rental car to the forest. Some nearby cities with airports include Szczecin, Berlin, and Gdańsk. Once you arrive in the area, you can use GPS navigation or a local map to find the exact location of the Crooked Forest.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Krzywy Las (Crooked Forest), Nowe Czarnowo, Gryfino municipality, Poland
- Coordinates
- 53.21389, 14.475
- Access
- Explore on foot; do not climb or sit on the protected trees. Keep dogs leashed and leave motor vehicles outside the forest
- Admission
- Free entry to the walking-quest route; optional quest available as a free app or printed sheet
- Time needed
- About 30 minutes for the 600 m walking-quest loop
- Opening hours
- Walking quest available 24 hours daily, year-round
- Location checked
- 2026-09-23
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-17
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