Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Thai-Chinese makes up Bangkok’s largest diaspora.
Nai Ek Roll Noodle
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
8 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
9 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Latvia Naudītes Pagasts Pokaini Forest
AO Edited

Pokaini Forest

Mysterious heaps of stones dot these otherworldly woods.

Naudītes Pagasts, Latvia

Added By
ahvenas
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Some of the trees look very strange too.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
  ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Pokaini Forest.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Some coins and wheat left on a stone for offering.   ahvenas / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Strange clusters of stones freckle this Latvian forest. People have been drawn into these woods for ages, lured by the mysterious rocks and their alleged powers.

But unusual rock heaps remain unexplained. One proposed reason for their existence is that the stones may have been gathered centuries ago to build a castle that never materialized. This, however, would be hard to prove, as there are no records of such activities in the area. A more mundane explanation is that people gathered them while clearing the fields for farming. But this still wouldn’t explain why they plunked them in various piles so deep in the forest.

People have attributed special powers to the stones. Some consider the forest to be a healing center or an old pagan sanctuary, and it’s now frequented by psychics and channelers to boost their energetic charges. Some visitors claim the stones have an uplifting and energizing effect. People will sometimes bring offerings to enhance the stones’ powers.

Others treat this place with caution and consider it to be a haunted area, or even a gateway to a parallel world. There are rumors that some people have died or otherwise suffered soon after visiting the forest. It’s said that taking the stones from the woods and bringing them home is dangerous.

Related Tags

Rock Formations Forests Legends Intriguing Environs Geological Oddities Ecosystems Geology

Know Before You Go

You need your own transportation to visit the place. The area is large with different footpaths in many locations. You can get a map from the visitor's center, drive to the forest, make stops on the parking areas and hike along the footpaths from there. If you plan to visit all the locations and footpaths, plan to be there for around four or five hours. 

Community Contributors

Added By

ahvenas

Edited By

marla m ww

  • marla m ww

Published

October 10, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.ancientpages.com/2018/08/13/is-mysterious-pokaini-forest-an-ancient-healing-center-and-anomalous-zone/
  • http://tripfreakz.com/offthebeatenpath/pokaini-forest-latvia
  • https://www.latvia.travel/en/sight/pokaini-forest
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pokai%C5%86i+Forest/@56.5724421,23.0736454,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x46ef6d2e0608d2e5:0x7b72c731049f021!8m2!3d56.5710386!4d23.075712
Pokaini Forest
Naudītes Pagasts, 3701
Latvia
56.571039, 23.075712

Nearby Places

Pan House

Žagarė, Lithuania

miles away

Cinevilla

Slampe, Latvia

miles away

Bridge to Nowhere

Irlavas pagasts, Latvia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Latvia

Latvia

Europe

Places 58
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Pan House

Žagarė, Lithuania

miles away

Cinevilla

Slampe, Latvia

miles away

Bridge to Nowhere

Irlavas pagasts, Latvia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Latvia

Latvia

Europe

Places 58
Stories 2

Related Stories and Lists

12 Forests That Offer Chills and Thrills

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Looking Glass Rock seen from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway

    Brevard, North Carolina

    Looking Glass Rock

    This granite rock face is named for the magnificent reflection that occurs when the sun hits it just right.

  • Peñíscola, Spain

    Bufador de Peñiscola

    The blowhole bursts spectacularly right next to the buildings in a medieval seaside town.

  • From above.

    Noisy-sur-École, France

    Les Sables du Cul du Chien

    An unusual sand beach in the middle of a forest.

  • Mauritania

    Ben Amera Monolith

    The second largest monolith in the world was once betrayed by its lover, Ben Aicha.

  • Nymfopetres

    Thessaloniki, Greece

    Nymfopetra

    Legends hold that these unusual rock formations were once a bridal party, or perhaps a group of hunters.

  • Lake Powell, Utah

    Cathedral in the Desert

    The damming of the Colorado River buried an iconic geologic formation before record-breaking drought brought it back.

  • The salt lake becomes colorful in warm temperatures because of algae growth

    Yuncheng, China

    Yuncheng Salt Lake

    Rainbow-hued in the summer and crystalline in the winter, this salty lake has inspired battles, temples, and plenty of awe.

  • Pertosa Caves.

    Muraglione, Italy

    Pertosa Caves

    Ride a boat through this magnificent underground world, which now doubles as a theater.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.