On the territory of the group of ridges of the Southern Urals, in the west of the Chelyabinsk region, a magnificent national reserve extends. This place is located near the northeastern border of the city of Zlatoust and is a favorite among many residents of the city and guests of the Chelyabinsk region. This national park shares the same name with the Taganay mountain ranges.
About the name
Translated from the Bashkir language, the name of the national park Taganay means "stand of the moon" (tagan - "tripod, stand", ai - "moon").
According to the toponymist Kornilov G. E., the word "Taganai" comes from the Bashkir tyugan ai tau - literally "mountain of the young month" or "mountain of the rising moon".
Location
The location of the national park is 130 kilometers from the regional center, the western part of the Chelyabinsk region, adjacent to the border of Asia with Europe. In terms of administrative territory, the territory extends within the following municipalities: Kusinsky district and Zlatoust city district.
Territorial center of the Taganay National Park - Zlatoust, throughwhich is crossed by the railway and highway direction Chelyabinsk - Ufa - Moscow.
History
The forests of this region were very popular back in the 17th-19th centuries. The Old Believers found shelter here, hermits built sketes underground, masking their dwellings with moss, granite blocks and uprooted tree roots.
During the Soviet era, the forest was actively cut down here. Only in the 80s of the XX century people began to think about the future consequences of such economic activity. As a result, the reserve park Taganay of national importance was created in 1991.
Park overview
National park established in March 1991.
The territory of the reserve occupies the northern part of the mountain ranges of the Southern Urals, which have an average height. This park is a separate mountain junction, passing from three sides into the plateau, and then into the flat forest-steppe.
Majestic mountain ranges, unusually shaped stone remains, relict forests, kurumniks and a unique stone river - all this is available for visiting nature lovers.
Sizes, description
The length of the natural park "Taganay" from south to north is 52 kilometers, from west to east - about 15 km. The area of the park is 568 sq. km. The protected zone occupies about 21% of the area, the recreational zone - 59%.
The territory of the park is surrounded by four municipalities, whose administrative centers are the following cities: Zlatoust - south-west, Kusa - west, Miass - southeast and Karabash - northwest. The territory of the park is crossed by two roads: on the south side - Zlatoust-Miass, on the south-western side - Zlatoust-Magnitka-Aleksandrovka. The terrain is also distinguished by the low density of the road and footpath network, which is mainly represented by traditional hiking trails laid in the mountains and valleys by different generations of travelers. The most popular is the path that runs along the eastern slope of Bolshoy Taganay.
Park Features
The uniqueness of Taganay Park lies in the fact that there are plants and animals that are typical for the central part of European Russia, the Urals, the Volga region, Central and Western Siberia, as well as for Kazakhstan.
Different Taganay unusual richness of flora. Among 687 species of plants in this reserve, 45 species are relics. Ecological systems have remained practically untouched in these places: meadows and mountain tundra, relict forests and light forests under the mountains.
The most valuable natural objects
The territory of Taganay Park (photos are presented in the article) contains the following natural attractions:
- Relic spruce forest on Mount Itsyl;
- river Bolshaya Tesma;
- p. Big Kialim;
- group of rocks – Three Brothers;
- rocks-outliers (top of Mount Yurma) – Devil's Gate;
- Mitkiny Rocks - Mica Hill, Three Sisters Hill and several nameless remains near the Two-Headed Hill;
- Akhmatov mine;
- Mine Nicolae-Maximilianovskaya;
- Responsive comb.
Vegetation World
Plant world nat. Taganay Park combines several zones of nature: from the north - a zone of spruce-fir mountain forests of the middle taiga, and from the east - taiga forests mixed with larch and birch. Mountain steppes are also found here, and mountain tundra and subalpine meadows grow in the highlands. On this not very large area, East Central European plant species uniquely coexist with West Central Siberian species.
A peculiar meridional corridor created by the Taganay Ranges promotes the growth of a wide variety of flora. On the one hand, the ranges of many varieties of the Arctic Ural flora extend far to the south along the highlands, and on the other hand, the flora of the steppe south penetrates northward along the eastern foothills of the Southern Urals. In a word, on the territory of the protected area, 2 floristic languages merge into a single whole: one from the north runs along the axis of the ridge, the other from the south - along the eastern foothills.
Taganay Park (Zlatoust) for tourists
In these heavenly places, you can admire the flow of the noisy mountain river Tesma, enjoy the purity of the spring water of the White Key. Here you can conquer the Two-headed Sopka, the height of which is 1034 meters. From its top you can see rocky ridges and endless forests of the park, as well as the city of Zlatoust.
There are more interesting peaks in the park, such as the Otklyuchnoy ridge, located behind the Rattle Key shelter. Its slopes, resembling a ridge,create a wonderful echo. The highest mountain Taganay is Kruglitsa (height 1178 meters). From it you can see all the landscapes of the park.
The most untouched nature is located in the most remote part of the park - in the area of the Taganay Gora weather station. Here you can see magnificent sunrises and sunsets. In addition, here you can observe the usual phenomenon for this area - summer snow.
It should be noted that the administration of the reserve offers a bonus for visitors: everyone who takes their garbage with them gets a souvenir with the symbols of the reserve at the exit.
Taganay Bird Park
Zlatoust can also boast of a new eco-park located in a pine forest near the north-eastern part of the city, at the very foot of Mount Taganay. This is a bird park that opened in 2014. Despite this name, the large enclosures of the ecopark contain not only birds, but also many animals, such as horses, spotted deer, goats, rabbits and others.
The conditions are created in the park as close to natural as possible. Pheasants, ostriches, swans live here. In total, there are about 100 species of birds. You can also see domestic animals such as pigs and chickens, in addition to everything, you can feed and hold them in your hands or stroke them. There is an opportunity to ride horses and take pictures with a variety of inhabitants of Taganay.
The Ecopark is open all year round. In the future, it is planned to organize a museum complex and equip a rope park, as well as producebioproducts.
The bird park is a popular attraction throughout the region. For younger visitors, rides are organized here, including horseback riding.
Tourist accommodations
There are shelters in the park. The very first on the way to it is the "White Key", located near the Two-headed Hill. This is a wooden house, next to which you can set up a tent for free.
At the Rattlesnake Key today, work is underway to build new houses. There is also a cordon with 4-bed rooms, but you can pitch a tent on the territory of the shelter for a small nominal fee.
Climatic conditions
On the territory of the reserve, the duration of the frost-free period is from 70 to 105 days. The highest air temperature is up to +38 °C, the minimum is minus 50 °C. The average annual precipitation is 500-1000 mm.
The period with stable snow cover lasts from 160 to 190 days. Humidity is 64-84%. The soil freezes by an average of 66 cm (the maximum value is 125 cm).
The dates of freezing and opening of the rivers are November 6 and April 11, respectively.
Legends
The territory of the Taganay Park in recent years has been attributed to some properties of the anomalous zone. According to some, contacts with the Higher Intelligence also take place in these places.
There are amazing legends about these places. One of them tells about the origin on the Echo Ridge. Once, many years ago, in a cave on the Taganay ridge, a rather fierce beast lived, which grabbed everyone withoutparsed and devoured. One day the holy hermit saw a beast coming out of a cave and turned to God with a plea for the destruction of this monster. The Lord heeded the prayer and killed the animal with a stone block, and left his voice in the mountains as a memory for people.
There is another interesting legend about the Taganay rivers. One of them says that in ancient times two rivers flowed in the Taganay places, which are sisters - Kialima and Tesma. They were friends with each other, and they had a good disposition. Once a White Deer came to them from the far North to drink some crystal water from the mountain. At first he went to see both sisters, but then the sweet Tesma water came to his taste more, and he began to welcome only one Tesma. Kialima was offended, turned and ran in the other direction. Since then, it has been flowing to the north, and its waters reach the very Arctic Ocean, and Tesma has leaned towards the warm southern Caspian Sea. And both rivers take their beginnings from the Taganay swamp.
