Chelyabinsk Oblast: Lakes and Peaks in the Southern Urals

Rocky peaks and a vast lake region

Taganay National Park is home to rocky peaks, stone rivers, mountain streams, taiga and tundra. The park lies in the western part of Chelyabinsk Oblast, in the Taganay mountain massif of the Southern Urals. The geographical boundary between Europe and Asia runs through the oblast. The region has three national parks; Zyuratkul National Park lies in the highest part of the oblast. Chelyabinsk Oblast is also known as the “Land of 3,000 Lakes”.

Hiking trails in Taganay National Park

The “Ves Taganay za 600 Shagov” ecological trail is just over 1.5 km long. It passes through scenic areas of the Chernaya Skala area as well as natural environments typical of Taganay National Park. Its facilities include a paved path and an observation platform; the trail is wheelchair accessible. Check the current conditions before your visit. After the excursion, the group has free time for photography. The “Taganay za 600 Shagov” excursion route is one of the easier ones in the park, is suitable for people of all ages and does not require any special physical preparation.

At 853 m, Chernaya Skala is one of the northern peaks. The rock is made of white quartzite and is part of the Nazminsky Ridge. Its elevation and geology make the peak a specific destination for anyone interested in the landscape of the Southern Urals.

Trails along the Zyuratkul Ridge

The easy ecological hiking trail to the Zyuratkul Ridge is 6 km long one way and climbs 460 m. Children can manage it too. The Malaya Medvezhya Trail starts in the settlement of Zyuratkul and is 5 km long. For the ridge trail, the distance and elevation gain are given together, while the Malaya Medvezhya Trail is identified by its starting point in Zyuratkul. Check current trail conditions before your visit.

Lakes and special places

The lakes Turgoyak, Uvildy, Zyuratkul, Itkul and other lakes in the oblast are regarded as places to relax, swim and sunbathe. This makes the lakes and activities there a different focus for trip planning from the hiking trails of the Southern Urals. A monument on the shore of Lake Chebarkul commemorates the meteorite impact. Through an opening in the stone marker, you can see a buoy marking the impact site. The Poteshnaya Fortress contains a chapel dedicated to Saint Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom. Factory tours are also offered in the Southern Urals.

Choose the right focus for your holiday

When looking for a holiday apartment in Chelyabinsk Oblast, you can start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: hiking trails, lakes and cultural and historical sites in the oblast; factory tours are offered in the wider Southern Urals travel region. The route to the Zyuratkul Ridge offers a specific combination of distance and elevation gain; at the lakes, the focus is on relaxing, swimming and sunbathing. Narrow your search to your preferred type of trip and choose your destination based on your plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Karagayskiy, Miass, Turgoyak, Troitsk, Zyuratkul, Troitsk, Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk, Miass, Syrostan, Zlatoust City, Yuzhnouralsk City, Satkinsky District, Verkhniy Ufaley City, Zlatoust, Yuzhnouralsk, Satka, Verkhniy Ufaley, Lazurnyy, Chebarkul, Tyulyuk, Korkino, Yuryuzan, Uvildy, Samarka, Rozhdestvenka, Malaya Kuysarina, Kopeysk, Balandino, Tatysh, Gubernskoye, Ozersk, Ust-Katav, Muslyumovo, Kharino, Miasskiy, Karabash, Asha, Mezhevoy, Kartaly, Cheremshanka, Mokhovichki, Varna, Vishnevogorsk, Sosnovskiy District, Yemanzhelinsky District, Kyshtym City, Kyshtym City, Satkinsky District, Etkulskiy District, Troitskiy District, Emanzhelinskiy District, Kaslinskiy District, Krasnoarmeyskiy District, Kusinsky District, Plastovsky District.

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