Chelyabinsk lakes map. Rest on Chelyabinsk lakes. Lake Maly Kisegach
HYelyabinsk region is famous as"lake region of Russia" It is here that there is a great variety of large and small, round and elongated, salty and fresh, clean and swampy - so different lakes and reservoirs. Chelyabinsk lakes attract residents of neighboring regions - Sverdlovsk, Kurgan, Perm, and even guests from the capital! What is their secret?
The author of this material lived most of her life in the Chelyabinsk region and did not even suspect that our region is to a certain extent a “resort” and so attractive for tourists. Only after moving to Yekaterinburg did I first hear the phrase “Chelyabinsk lakes”, so persistent among the residents Sverdlovsk region. When I told someone that I came from Chelyabinsk, I often heard in response: “Wow, great! You have lakes there!”
The fact is that in Chelyabinsk itself, except for the Shershnevsky reservoir, which is primarily a drinking resource and not particularly attractive for recreation and swimming, there are no lakes. Yes and in the surrounding area regional center You won’t find those same famous “Chelyabinsk lakes”. This is an ordinary industrial city, with no mountains or forests nearby. In the area, among the reservoirs - in addition to the already named “Hornets” - are lakes Sineglazovo, Smolino, Polovinnoye. Due to their proximity to the city, all of them are polluted and not suitable for swimming.
The cleanest and most beautiful Chelyabinsk lakes are located at least 100 km from Chelyabinsk. Most are in the north and east of the region.
In total, on the map of the Chelyabinsk region you can count more than 3 thousand lakes! They are called the “blue necklace” of the Urals, or simply “ blue lakes" A great variety of reservoirs appeared here thanks to the unique geographical location between three largest rivers Russia - Tobol, Volga and the Kama River. That is why there are so many small flowing rivers connecting the lakes. In addition, due to the movements of the Ural Mountains, back in ancient times, craters formed and gradually filled with water.
In the Chelyabinsk region there are many reservoirs with rocky shores, but there are also sandy beaches. Many Chelyabinsk lakes are distinguished by their purity and transparency, reaching 3-4 meters. There are reservoirs in which the water is slightly mineralized. There are medicinal ones, saturated with healing mud.
We will list the best lakes in the Chelyabinsk region, the most interesting and attractive for recreation and tourism:
Closest to the Sverdlovsk region (at a distance of up to 150 km from Yekaterinburg):
Lake Big Allaki (110 km)
Lake Sugomak - Kyshtym (150 km)
Lake Bolshoi Kuyash (150 km)
Beyond the 150 km line there are no less interesting Chelyabinsk lakes:
Lake Uvildy - (180 km)
Argazin reservoir (Lake Argazi) (185 km)
Lake Turgoyak - Miass (230 km)
Lake Kisegach (290 km)
Lake Big Sunukul (290 km)
Spruce Lake (290 km)
Lake Bolshoi Elanchik (290 km)
Lake Zyuratkul (330 km)
Lake Sladkoe and Lake Salt (380 km)
And many, many others.
Not all of the lakes listed have recreation centers and sanatoriums. Most visitors prefer the so-called “savage” holiday - spending the night in tents and cooking over a fire. This has its own romance. During the holiday season, entire cities of tent houses appear on the banks of reservoirs. Guitars sound, the smell of fresh fish soup and sausages fried on the fire wafts, and wood crackles in the fire.
For those who prefer to relax with all the amenities, numerous recreation centers have been built. Near many lakes there are some of the best sanatoriums in the Chelyabinsk region, which allows you to combine business with pleasure - both relax and heal.
In addition, you can spend the night in populated areas located near lakes. In hotels or private homes. Often, renting a room or apartment will not be difficult, especially if you take care of it in advance (accommodation in the most popular vacation spots begins to be booked in the spring).
Unfortunately, the tourism sector is not yet very developed in the Chelyabinsk region. Not nearly to the same extent as in Krasnodar region. And summer here is shorter, and there are fewer hot days. Therefore, Chelyabinsk lakes often lack appropriate infrastructure and conditions for recreation.
Only a few lakes are “promoted” and popularized, their shores are filled with recreation centers and visitors. But many remain unknown “pearls”. Maybe over time, the region will really become a mecca for tourists, for whom all conditions will be created, without harm to natural resources and, in particular, bodies of water.
Reference:
The deepest Chelyabinsk lakes: Uvildy, Kisegach, Turgoyak.
The largest: Argazinskoye Reservoir, Lake Irtyash, Lake Uvildy, Lake Turgoyak.
The closest to the Sverdlovsk region and Yekaterinburg: Itkul, Shablish, Sinara and others.
Most bodies of water (about 80%) are less than 0.5 square kilometers.
P.S:
There's only one thing left to add. Each of these reservoirs is unique in its own way. It's very sad when it's beautiful picturesque place, where nature has created the most amazing pictures in reality, people leave behind piles of garbage, or make inscriptions on rocky outcrops, either being like ancient people, or wanting to leave a reminder of themselves.
Every year, fewer and fewer bodies of water in Russia remain suitable for swimming.
I would like to appeal to tourists - love nature, appreciate it, take care of it! And she will answer you with the greatest gratitude - with her wonderful gifts!
*The distance from Yekaterinburg is indicated in brackets. In the future, we will talk about each of these lakes, about recreation, about prices, about where you can stay, about the pros and cons of this or that body of water.
The Chelyabinsk region is known to Russians as a lake region. On its territory there is, perhaps, the most a large number of reservoirs. Residents of Sverdlovsk, Perm, Kurgan and even Moscow strive to visit almost every lake in the Chelyabinsk region. What is the secret of these places?
Lake Kaldy (Chelyabinsk region)
The name of the reservoir translated from the Bashkir language means “abandoned lake”. According to legend, a long time ago the peaceful Bala-Katai tribe lived here, but its representatives had to leave their native land due to the invasion of a cruel warlike race.
In the Southern Urals, you should definitely visit Lake Kaldy. The Chelyabinsk region attracts tourists precisely a huge amount existing reservoirs, we will talk about some of them in this article. Lake Kaldy is of erosion-tectonic origin. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic shifts, gradually changing under the influence of erosion processes. The reservoir, like other tectonic lakes, does not have great depths. The most deep point does not exceed 7 meters. The elongated shape of the lake testifies to tectonic movements: it stretches 6 kilometers in length and 4 kilometers in width.
The fresh water of the reservoir tastes slightly salty. Vacationers are attracted to Lake Kaldy by its good visibility (to a depth of up to three meters), sandy shores surrounded by mixed forest, where they can hide from the sun’s rays or pick berries and mushrooms. Vacationers also like the fact that there is sand at the bottom of the reservoir, with the exception of those places where reeds grow.
You can see many fishermen on the lake, because the fish stock here is really rich: crucian carp, perch, carp, bream, whitefish, ripus and burbot. There are also a considerable number of crayfish in the waters of the reservoir, so fishing will be a success.
Second Baikal
Do you know which lake in the Chelyabinsk region is considered the cleanest? It turns out that the purest water is in the Kisegach, Turgoyak, Argazi and Emerald Quarry reservoirs, located within the boundaries of administrative center. Due to its purity, Lake Turgoyak (Chelyabinsk region) is included in the list of the most valuable natural accumulations of water. In Russia, the reservoir is included in the card index of noteworthy landscapes. The water from this storage facility is of a bright bluish-green color; its quality is practically no different from that of Baikal.
Turgoyak is considered the most clear lake Ural, the bottom can be seen even at a depth of 15-20 meters. It’s not for nothing that some call the reservoir the second Baikal. Turgoyak is the most deep lake Chelyabinsk region, located in an intermountain basin at an altitude of 320 meters from sea level. Maximum depth reservoir - 34 m.
A great place for fishermen - Lake Tishki
The Chelyabinsk region is a wonderful place in Russia for relaxation, where you can not only admire the beauty of nature, but also have great fishing. The main fishing center of this subject of our country, part of the Ural federal district, is Lake Tishki. pond with unusual name located in the northern part of the Chelyabinsk region. The lake became the main fishing center due to its large size and flat nature. Every year, about two million carp fry and 10 million peled (cheese) are released into its waters. Agree, the numbers are impressive!
True, fishing on the lake is paid. The reservoir belongs to the municipal unitary enterprise - the Balyk fish factory. A trip for a day will cost you 300 rubles. Only disabled people of the first and second groups, WWII participants, Chernobyl victims and teenagers no older than 14 years old can go fishing for free, and only if they have documents confirming this status.
Popular holiday destination
Local residents call Lake Smolino in the Chelyabinsk region a small sea. It became popular place, where city residents can take a break from hard work, especially since they don’t have to travel far: the reservoir is located almost within the city. The lake was formed at the site of a tectonic fault, at the junction of several geological structures. According to scientists, the reservoir appeared three million years ago.
Lake Smolino is round in shape, 6.7 kilometers long and 3.8 kilometers wide. The maximum depth is no more than 7 meters. The banks of the reservoir are covered with birch forests, although you can also find artificially planted pine trees. The water in the lake is slightly salty, which is why there is an opinion that this is a legacy of the once existing sea. The bottom of the reservoir is filled with sedimentary clay, although in some places there is sand, silt and mud with medicinal properties. Over time, there is a decrease in the water level in the lake, which suggests that the water, saturated with hydrogen sulfide, becomes practically unsuitable for life. When salinity increases in a reservoir, fish disappear. According to researchers, there is a certain pattern in the fluctuations in the height of the water surface in the lake and the Caspian Sea. However, the reasons for such coincidences could not be explained.
Alpine reservoir of the Urals
Lake Zyuratkul, located in the national park of the same name, is located at an altitude of 724 meters above sea level. This reservoir is the only one in the Chelyabinsk region that has such a high altitude location. Thanks to the picturesque landscapes and surprisingly clear water, the lake received the name “Ural Ritsa”. And its surroundings are one of the most environmentally friendly places in the Chelyabinsk region.
We got acquainted with only a small part of the existing lakes, highlighting only a few. When going to the Chelyabinsk region on vacation, you should definitely pay attention to the reservoirs where there are camp sites. Vacationers can mainly be found on lakes Turgoyak, Sinara, Uvildy, Dolgoye, Elovoe, Kaldy and Karaguz.
Many people have long known about the beauty of the lakes of the Southern Urals. In addition to contemplating beautiful landscapes, they are great for beach holiday. Everything you need is here for him: sandy beaches, suitable climate and clean warm water.
Each tourist who comes to these places has his own vacation preferences. Some people need comfort and must have a recreation center, while others like to relax in nature with a tent without any amenities. Whatever your preference, you can find appropriate place on the mountain lakes of the Chelyabinsk region.
In this article we will look at where it is better to relax as a “savage” on the beautiful lakes in the Chelyabinsk region.
How many lakes are there in the Chelyabinsk region?
In total, there are over 3 thousand lakes in this area, varying in size, shape and water quality. Most of them are located in the eastern and northern parts of the region. Many lakes are located very close to each other, so it is possible to visit several at once in one day.
Such a large difference between the number of reservoirs in the Chelyabinsk region and neighboring ones (Sverdlovsk or Perm) is due to the fact that in this territory, after the movement of the Ural mountains, craters were formed, which were filled with flowing rivers formed from such giants as: Tobol, Volga and Kama.
The most suitable lakes for “wild” recreation
The main criteria by which a lake is selected for recreation with tents are: convenient descent to the water, the presence of a sandy beach, water condition and depth. Based on them, the following lakes can be distinguished for “wild” recreation.
Arakul
In addition to the clearest warm water, tourists are attracted to this lake by the nearby ancient human sites and the bizarre Shikhan rock, from the top of which you can see 11 lakes at the same time.
Arganza Reservoir or Argazi
This is one of the largest lakes in the Chelyabinsk region. Attracts tourists with warm water, sandy beaches and big amount the fish living in it. Unfortunately, for last years there is a decrease in the water level in Argazi.
Zyuratkul
One of the cleanest and highest mountain lakes. Despite the rocky bottom, many tourists come here to swim and fish. There is a small fee for parking on the shore, but there are tables with and without canopies, and it is possible to replenish supplies drinking water.
Itkul
This is an alpine lake, so the water in it is quite clean. There are both free and paid rides on the shore, which are very popular among tourists. In addition to swimming, you can spend time here collecting and catching fish.
Kisegach
The lake is a natural monument and on one side of it is the Ilmensky Nature Reserve. That is why you can camp with tents only on the eastern side.
If you want to choose your own parking place, and not where there is free space left, then you should plan your arrival to the Chelyabinsk lakes during the week. This is due to the fact that on weekends the number of “wild” vacationers increases significantly due to local residents and guests from neighboring regions.
On every, even “civilized” lake in the Chelyabinsk region there is a place where you can stay with tents. The main thing is to find access to this shore. Most often he finds himself near recreation centers.
In order for the lakes of the Chelyabinsk region to remain the most beautiful after your visit, you need to take care of your vacation spot. Namely: do not break trees or tear up plants, collect garbage after yourself and follow the established rules of fishing and hunting.
With the arrival of summer, many of my friends, knowing that I have traveled almost the length and breadth of the Urals, ask me where they can swim and on which lake to relax. And every time I start a long list of where it’s closer, where the water is better, where the shore is better, where the landscape is more interesting, where the infrastructure is better, and so on. Realizing that for many this issue is very relevant in 25-30 degree heat, I decided to make a review of bodies of water where you can have a good rest.
1. Lake Turgoyak.
230 km from Yekaterinburg. One of the most beautiful lakes in the Chelyabinsk region. The water is incredibly clean and clear. For example, if you swim at a depth of 6-7 meters, then you can see all the pebbles and fancy algae at the bottom. And around scenic views- mountains, islands, forest, fresh air. Turgoyak is deservedly called the second Baikal, and the lake has the status of a natural monument. The lake is quite large, the length coastline 27 km, and the greatest depth is 34 meters. Located on the lake famous island Vera with dolmens and other archaeological finds.
In the village of Turgoyak there is a city beach; in the summer, locals and visitors relax on it. From the village of Turgoyak along the coast there are many recreation centers and beaches (Golden Beach, Silver Sands, etc.). If you drive further, it is less crowded and you can pitch a tent (see coordinates and point on the map). The shore is rocky and sandy. On the southern side of Turgoyak, at a distance of 300 meters there is no big lake Inyshko. It is also used for fishing and swimming.
2. Lake Uvildy
180 km from Yekaterinburg. A transparent and clean lake in the Chelyabinsk region, it is like a piece of sea in the middle of the Ural mountains. The lake is a natural monument and the largest in the Chelyabinsk region. There are numerous bases and closed areas. In practice there is only one easily accessible place for free rest. This is a strip of beach along the road where you don’t have to pay for parking and so on. But there is a sandy beach and a wonderful pebble-sand bottom! The car can be left on the side of the road.
THIS IS THE MOST COMFORTABLE LAKE FOR SWIMMING!!!
3. Lake Zyuratkul
330 km from Yekaterinburg. Southern Urals rich not only in crystal clear lakes, but also national parks with diverse flora and fauna, picturesque ridges and rocks. One of these places is national park Zyuratkul. In this park you can kill three birds with one stone: for tourists and mountain lovers - the Nurgush ridge, the Zyuratkul ridge; for a picnic by the lake and fishermen - Lake Zyuratkul; to feel like you are at a resort - Kitova pier.
Lake - natural origin, but there is a dam here built by German prisoners of war; probably as a result of this the lake has increased in area and volume. These places are also called Sinegorye, and the lake is located between the Urenga, Lukash, Nurgush, Moskal and Zyuratkul ridges. The lake is notable not only for its cleanliness, but also for the fact that it is the highest mountain lake in the Urals - 724 meters above sea level. When entering the park, an environmental fee of 40 rubles is charged. per person and 40 rub. from the car. Near the Whale pier there is all the necessary infrastructure for recreation.
4. Salt Lake Bearish
550 km from Yekaterinburg. To feel what it’s like to lie in very salty water and not drown, you don’t have to go far away on an expensive trip to Dead Sea. You can go to the next one Kurgan region 500 kilometers away and plunge into the even more salty waters of Bear Lake. Lake Bear is shallow, the greatest depth is 1.2 meters. The bottom is covered with salt and healing mud. When you walk along the bottom, your feet sink slightly. The density of water is so high that it holds the human body on the surface. You can relax both as “savages” and in a sanatorium.
5. Lake Arakul
140 km from Yekaterinburg. The lake is rightfully considered one of the cleanest lakes in the Chelyabinsk region. The water is clear, the bottom is sand and pebbles, the banks are covered pine forest. The most convenient place for recreation is the northeastern part of the lake, near the village of Arakul. By car you can drive close to the lake. Swimming and fishing can be combined with climbing the picturesque Shihan rocks.
6. Lake Big Allaki
110 km from Yekaterinburg. Bolshaya Allaki became an archeological monument quite recently, and for most vacationers this place still remains an ordinary place for outdoor recreation - here you can swim in the lake with clear water and have a picnic. On the bizarre rocky outcrops there are many traces of modern man, but only very recently archaeologists discovered writings here - drawings of ancient people, which are about 3000 years old. When groups of archaeologists explored the site at the end of the 20th century, various objects of ancient people were also found. The town of Bolshiye Allaki was recognized as a natural, cultural and historical monument.
7. Lake Itkul
110 km from Yekaterinburg. South coast Lake Itkul has rather high rocky cliffs, and it is not possible to go down to the water everywhere. However, in summer it is a popular place for swimming and relaxing. On Lake Itkul, near the shore, the Shaitan-Kamen rock rises. The height of the rock is about 10 m. You can climb onto the rock from the water, but this is extremely difficult to do. Inaccessible smooth stones with slight protrusions discourage conquerors, so many climb the rock from a boat or motorboat.
8. Lake Talkov stone
55 km from Yekaterinburg. The lake is located 7 kilometers from the city of Sysert, Sverdlovsk region. This beautiful place deep in the forest is a talc quarry, flooded with groundwater and atmospheric waters. Talc was once mined here. The depth of the quarry is more than 30 meters. On one side there is a convenient descent to the lake, on the other there is a steep cliff of three tens of meters. The water is very cold and very clear even in summer. Entrance to the park is paid (30 rubles)
9. Sugomak
150 km from Yekaterinburg. Not far from the city of Kyshtym there is an interesting natural attraction, or rather a whole complex, each object of which has the same name - Sugomak - mountain, cave, lake. The lake has been given the status of a natural monument; it is a source of drinking water for the Kyshtym residents. The cave is also a natural monument and a specially protected area, and the mountain is considered a place of power among psychics; they come here to recharge their energy.
10. Argazinskoye Reservoir
185 km from Yekaterinburg. The water is very clean, transparency is several meters. The lake has many islands, a shore with many bays, rocky and sandy, open and overgrown.
11. Lake Chusovskoye
20 km from Yekaterinburg. A beautiful clean lake in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg. The shore on the side of the cottage village is swampy and gradually overgrown with reeds. The opposite shore is rocky and sandy, and is more convenient for relaxing and swimming. There is a forest road along the lake, you can drive an SUV. There are crayfish in the lake.
12. Lake Bagaryak
50 km from Yekaterinburg. A small lake, part of the shore is swampy, part is built up with cottages. Nearby is the village of Kosmakovo.
13. Lake Shablish
100 km from Yekaterinburg. Lake in the Chelyabinsk region, not far from Kamensk-Uralsky. In summer there are always a lot of campers with tents here. Sandy beaches, in some places the shore is swampy with reeds. Swimming can be combined with fishing.
14. Nizhnesysertskoe reservoir
50 km from Yekaterinburg, near Dvurechensk. Popular place for fishing and recreation. On both sides of the dam you can drive close to the reservoir, set up tents, and make fires. You can drive through the barrier (200 rubles per car) to the shore or leave your vehicle on the side of the road and sit on the shore for free. The banks are wooded, there are clearings open to the sun, the bottom is sandy, but closer to the dam there can be large boulders under the water, so it is better to swim away from the dam.
15. Lake Sinara
100 km from Yekaterinburg. Enough large lake, the water is clear, the average depth is 6 m. The bottom is sandy and rocky. The Sinara River originates from the lake. The closed city of Snezhinsk adjoins the southern part of the lake; accordingly, this part is closed to free passage. For relaxation, it is most convenient to sit on the shore of the south-eastern part of the lake; the area here is open, the shore is flat, and there is a cordon on duty in the summer.
16. Lake Tavatuy
50 km from Yekaterinburg. A favorite vacation spot for Yekaterinburg residents, it is a natural monument federal significance. The lake is surrounded by mountains, which adds to its picturesqueness; the water in it is quite clear, and there are all kinds of fish.
17. Volchikha Reservoir
30 km from Yekaterinburg. An artificial reservoir, large in area and elongated in shape. The banks are mostly covered with forest, a good place for a picnic and fishing, you can also swim.
18. Lake Baltym
20 km from Yekaterinburg. The lake is located in the vicinity of the town of Verkhnyaya Pyshma. This favorite place recreation for residents of Yekaterinburg and other nearby cities. The lake is 4 km long, 2.5 km wide, and maximum depth is 5 meters. The bottom is muddy. The most convenient access for recreation is from the village of Sanatorny or the village of Baltym. The lake is home to perch, ruffe, burbot, and pike. Free recreational fishing is possible. Along the shores of the lake there are numerous recreation centers of enterprises, pioneer camps, sanatoriums, cottages, boat stations and sandy beaches.
19. Lake Shartash
Located within the city limits. If you don’t have time to travel far somewhere, or just want to take a dip in cool water after a working day, then Shartash perfect place for such a vacation. There is also infrastructure on the shore for “civilized” recreation: a boat station, waterslides, cafe and so on.
20. Isetskoye Reservoir
25 km from Yekaterinburg. The largest lake in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg is located within the city of Sredneuralsk. There are islands on the lake, and stone tents on the western shore.
Is not full list reservoirs suitable for swimming, there is also Lake Kurtuguz (90 km), Beloyarskoye Reservoir (50 km), Lake Peschanoe - a popular recreation spot for young people (20 km) and others. In the article I tried to reflect more interesting bodies of water.
In addition to the standard criteria - cleanliness of water, cleanliness of the shore, fewer people— a very important criterion is distance. Therefore, for your convenience, I attach a list of lakes by distance from Yekaterinburg:
Shartash, within the city limits
Chusovskoye, 20 km
Baltym, 20 km
Peschanoye, 20 km
Isetskoye (Sredneuralskoye), 25 km
Volchikhinskoye Reservoir, 30 km
Nizhnesysertskoe (Dvurechensk), 50 km
Beloyarskoye Reservoir, 50 km
Bagaryak, 50 km
Tavatui, 50 km
Talkov stone, 55 km
Kurtuguz, 90 km
Big Sungul, 90 km
Sinara, 100 km
Shablish, 100 km
Bolshie Allaki, 110 km
Itkul, 110 km
Arakul, 140 km
Sugomak, 150 km
Uvildy, 180 km
Argazinskoye Reservoir, 185 km
Turgoyak, 230 km
Zyuratkul, 330 km
Medvezhye, 550 km
I wish you a good holiday!
Good day, friends!
I was thinking: “For some reason, on the pages of my blog I pay little attention to traveling around my small homeland - the Southern Urals.” This deficiency must be corrected urgently! After all, we have a lot of very beautiful places here - these are famous Ural Mountains, caves, nature reserves and of course numerous lakes. The Southern Urals are a land of lakes! We have 3178 of them! Big and small, deep and not so deep. All of them are beautiful in their own way, but some of them are certainly worth mentioning separately.
Where to relax in the Southern Urals, if we consider primarily a vacation on the lake? In this article I want to make my rating of the best lakes in the Southern Urals and tell you about the most beautiful lakes in the Chelyabinsk region. This TOP 10 is my selection. That is, these are, first of all, those lakes that I consider the best in our area and I definitely advise all guests of the Southern Urals to visit them. Someone may not agree with such a selection. Well, then you can express your point of view in the comments, it is always welcome! In the meantime, I present to your attention the most beautiful lakes of the Southern Urals. TOP 10!
1. UVILDS.
Uvildy is the pearl of the Southern Urals! The most famous, popular and perhaps the best lake in the Southern Urals!
Located near the city of Kyshtym, 80 km. from Chelyabinsk. It has an area of 7111 hectares, an average depth of 14 meters, and the greatest depth is 39 meters! Uvildy always has very clear, clean water, so this lake has always been favorite place beach holidays, fishing and spearfishing. True, the water in the lake always warms up quite slowly due to its considerable depth and cold underwater springs. The shoreline of the lake is covered with beautiful pine forests. There are sandy beaches, which usually belong to recreation centers.
Now Uvildy is very heavily built up cottage villages and recreation centers of different price categories (mostly quite expensive at local prices!). However, despite the heavy development, there is practically no garbage on the shore and in the coastal forest. The cleanliness of the coastline is well monitored! There are practically no places for free camping.
I had the opportunity to visit Uvildy several times at various recreation centers.
2. TURGOYAK.
A beautiful lake, which is located near the city of Miass. From Chelyabinsk it is a little more than 100 kilometers if you drive along the M5 Chelyabinsk-Moscow highway.
Turgoyak is a natural monument, a very clean and fairly deep lake! Water transparency reaches 17 meters! In terms of water transparency, Turgoyak ranks 2nd among all lakes in Russia! The average depth is about 19 meters, and the greatest is 34 meters.
Needless to say, due to its beauty and purity, Lake Turgoyak has always been a very popular place among tourists. There have always been many recreation centers here, and their number is increasing. The coastline is also being built up with cottages. It is almost impossible to find a place to relax as a “savage”. I would even say that there are no such people left anymore, except perhaps for small areas with steep banks, where there is no way to get close to the water.
Walk on Lake Turgoyak:
3. ELANCHIK.
Elanchik is one of my favorite lakes in the Southern Urals! I’ve been here dozens of times, lived in a tent right next to the lake or vacationed at various recreation centers. Just recently, for example, I went with my family to Elanchik for a couple of days, about which I wrote a review in one of my previous articles.
The lake is located 90 kilometers from Chelyabinsk, next to the M5 highway. From Miass and from Chebarkul to Elanchik the drive is about 10 kilometers.
Elanchik is a shallow lake, the average depth is about 4 meters, the maximum is 8 meters. From the northern side of the lake (from the M5 highway) the lake is approached closely pine forests, and on the southern side (from the village of Sarafanovo) there are quite large areas on which there is practically no tree. In this place there is a fairly popular " wild beach", where so many vacationers come in the summer that there’s simply nowhere for an apple to fall!
I like it better Northern part shores of the lake. Of course, there are also a lot of tourists there during the “season”, but still less than on the south side. Simply because it is much more difficult to get here by car. Some people simply don’t risk going here, but walking through the forest is difficult, and you can’t leave your car on the highway.
Unfortunately, in the “wild” recreation areas of tourists along the coast, there is a lot of garbage. Here no one specifically cleans it up and tourists themselves, unfortunately, litter more and more.
Over the past 7-8 years, the shoreline of the lake has begun to be built up with cottage communities. Accordingly, there are fewer places for camping, but still, unlike the same Uvildy and Turgayak, on Elanchik you can still find many places where you can stay in a tent. For example excellent.
Sunset on Lake Elanchik:
4. ZYURATKUL.
Amazing beautiful lake Zyuratkul is the highest mountain lake in the Southern Urals. It is located at an altitude of 724 meters above sea level! It has a maximum depth of 12 meters, and an average depth of 4 meters. The lake is located in the Satka district of the Chelyabinsk region, from Chelyabinsk it is 208 kilometers to travel here.
The water in Zyuratkul is very clean. The lake surroundings are amazing beautiful nature: mountain ranges and coniferous forests. Lake Zyuratkul is considered a natural monument; it is surrounded by one of the most visited places by tourists in the Southern Urals.
5. BIG KISSEGACH.
Very popular tourist lake Big Kisegach, which is more often called simply Kisegach. It is located near Lake Chebarkul and city of the same name(about 5 km.). Accordingly, from Chelyabinsk it is approximately 75-85 kilometers, depending on which side you get there from.
The average depth in the lake is 12 meters, the maximum is 33 meters. Very good water transparency - about 10 meters. The water temperature in the lake varies greatly depending on the depth, the difference can reach 12-14 degrees!
It has a very beautiful coastal area covered with pine and birch forests. There are a lot of recreation centers and sanatoriums on the lake, where you can stay with a tent.
6. ARGAZI.
The Argazin Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the Chelyabinsk region. Its area is about 113 sq. kilometers, the average depth is 12 meters, and the greatest is 18 meters. Water transparency is about 3 meters. It is located approximately 80 kilometers from Chelyabinsk.
When the reservoir was created in the 40s of the last century, when it was flooded Lake Argazi entered it, so this reservoir is still called simply Argazi.
Due to fluctuations in the water level in the reservoir, its level is not constant and therefore the coastline is constantly changing. For example, now Argazi has become very shallow, but still remains the largest body of water in the region.
Due to its size and extensive coastline, there is always somewhere to stay with tents, there are several paid beaches, recreation centers, and more and more cottages are being built at the very edge of the water.
Argazi is surrounded by birch and pine forests, where there have always been a lot of mushrooms. Although I am not an avid mushroom picker, when I still decide to go out on a “quiet hunt,” I certainly go in the direction of the Argazinsky reservoir. You definitely won’t leave here without mushrooms! Here is a post about one of my such trips: .
Argazin Reservoir:
7. CHEBARKUL.
Because of the event that occurred on February 15, 2013, Lake Chebarkul became known throughout the world. Now here you can often meet tourists from all over Russia and from many other countries. I'm talking about the famous Chelyabinsk meteorite, which exploded on the morning of February 15 over Chelyabinsk and fell into Lake Chebarkul, which is located 80 km away. from the city of Chelyabinsk. On east coast lake is located city of the same name Chebarkul.
Chebarkul is not a deep lake. The average depth is only 2.3 meters, the maximum is 12 meters.
Even before the meteorite fell, Lake Chebarkul was very popular among tourists, of course, mainly among locals. Not to say that the lake has any special unique beauty. However, the development of the local tourist infrastructure, a large number of different recreation centers and sanatoriums with different price categories and the availability of the lake for camping makes it one of the most popular lakes in the Chelyabinsk region. Now the meteorite is adding popularity.
8. SPUR.
This small lake is located just 1.5 kilometers from Lake Chebarkul. The average depth is 8 meters, the largest is 13.5 meters.
Elovoe was declared a natural monument 46 years ago. It is difficult to convey in words the natural beauty of the lake and its coastal pine, birch and linden forests. Despite the small size of the lake, there are quite a lot of recreation centers and cottage villages along the entire coastline. You can also find places for camping.
9. CALDS.
Lake Kaldy cannot be called very beautiful. It is not surrounded by pine forests and mountains, nor is it characterized by ideal purity of water. But in my list of the best lakes in the Southern Urals, Kaldy can take its rightful place.
The thing is that this lake has a very convenient coastline for swimming; it is good to camp here. There are a few sandy beaches. In addition, in Kaldy there has always been good fishing and there were crayfish. That is, in this way we can say that Kaldy combines all the advantages of good summer holiday at a lake.
Kaldy is a flat lake. Accordingly, it has a small depth, on average 3 meters, and a maximum of 7 meters. From Chelyabinsk to Lake Kaldy you need to go towards the city of Yekaterinburg, the distance is about 55 kilometers.
Along the entire coastline of the lake there are many recreation centers of very different price categories. For example, at some bases you can stay for 500-600 rubles for a summer 2-bed house without amenities, or you can rent a luxury cottage for 30,000-40,000 rubles per night!
Photos of Lake Kaldy from personal archive:
These are the crayfish that are found in Lake Kaldy:
10. SMALL MIASSOVOE.
The very beautiful Maloye Miassovoe lake is located approximately 62 kilometers from the city of Chelyabinsk. It is connected by a small strait to Lake Bolshoye Miassovoe, but Maloe Miassovoe, despite its name, is larger in size. The maximum depth reaches 7.5 meters, the water is very clean and transparent (transparency is about 7 meters).
Maloe Miassovoe can be included in the most best lakes Southern Urals primarily due to its natural beauty, which has not yet suffered as much at the hands of man, as, for example, the nature of Lake Turgoyak or Uvilda. Surprisingly, there are practically no cottages and very few recreation centers on the banks of Maly Miassovoy. Accordingly, there are many places where you can stay with a tent.
There are several islands on the lake. The most popular is “Love Island”. Couples in love from the student recreation center "Parus" like to go boating on it, where I loved to relax in the days of my student summer holidays. True, sometimes this island is occupied by vacationing “wild” tourists, living there in tents for several weeks and fishing.
Inhabitants of Lake Maloye Miassovoye:
This is my ranking of the best lakes in the Southern Urals. I repeat, this is not some generally accepted list of the most beautiful lakes. This is purely my selection, in which I told you about those lakes that I like more than others for one reason or another.
Of course, I have not been to all 3178 lakes of the Chelyabinsk region, so I will not be able to compare them all, and I did not try to do this. The main goal was to show you the beauty of the Southern Urals, the beauty of its many lakes! So come to us in the Southern Urals, let's go to the lake for fishing or barbecue with a tent!
Well, that's it, bye everyone! And don’t forget to subscribe to blog updates so you don’t miss new interesting articles!