Turgoyak

Turgoyak is a protected lake in Miass Urban Okrug, Chelyabinsk Oblast, surrounded by forested Ural hills and dotted with several islands across its basin. The water shows exceptional transparency, and the shores alternate between shallow bays and rocky sections, covering an area of more than 2600 hectares (about 10 square miles).

Archaeological finds on Vera Island and along the shore reach back to the Stone Age, showing human occupation over tens of thousands of years. Stone structures and tools suggest that people used this location as a dwelling place and possibly a ceremonial site in prehistoric times.

The name Turgoyak comes from Bashkir and may mean "high mountain" or "shelter" depending on interpretation. Locals from nearby settlements use the shores for swimming and fishing, while others follow trails through the forested hills surrounding the water.

The lake can be reached from Miass by car or public transport, and several starting points for hiking or boat trips are available along the shore. The summer months work best for a visit, when the water is warm enough for swimming and the trails stay dry.

The water quality reaches a level similar to that of Lake Baikal, which is extraordinary for this region of the Southern Urals. In some spots, the bottom can be seen down to more than 30 meters (about 100 feet), a rarity for European inland waters.