Zhiguli Mountains, Mountain range near Samara, Russia.
The Zhiguli Mountains run along the right bank of the Volga River and rise up to 381 meters (1,250 feet) above the water. The northern slopes drop sharply while the southern side descends gently toward the steppe landscape.
Early inhabitants of the region called these hills Lada, after the flat boats that river traders hid in the valleys. In the 18th century the current name took hold, derived from a village on the river shore.
The name of this range comes from the old settlement of Zhiguli that once stood along the Volga shore. Today hikers and nature lovers use the trails to explore the dense forests and open slopes.
Two marked routes lead through the protected area: one for vehicles and one for hiking. Permits should be requested in advance from the administrative offices.
This formation is the only tectonically active mountain range in European Russia. Limestone layers from the Permian and Carboniferous periods shape the rock structure.
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