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Mount Beshtau: height, origin and interesting facts
Beshtau is a laccolith mountain, meaning a volcano that never erupted. Its height above sea level reaches 1400 meters, making it the tallest among the 17 laccolith mountains of the Pyatigorsk area. The name comes from the Turkic "Besh-Tau" — "five mountains": Beshtau indeed has five peaks, the main one being called Greater Beshtau (1400 m). It is from this five-peaked mountain that the city of Pyatigorsk (literally "Five Mountains") got its name. In the mid-20th century, uranium ore was mined in the mountain's depths, for which more than 40 adits were dug. After mining ceased, all entrances to the Beshtau adits were concreted shut; today the radiation levels are normal.
What's at the summit? At the highest point, there's a fenced technical area with telecommunications equipment and cameras. But around the fence, there's enough flat space to rest, have a snack, and enjoy the panorama. There are no cafes, benches, or toilets up there — bring everything you need with you.
Climbing the mountain is one of the most popular day hikes for tourists and vacationers who prefer active recreation in Pyatigorsk and other CMW resorts. Technically, the ascent is not difficult and is accessible even to children and inexperienced hikers. The main thing is to choose the right route, and we explain how to do that below.
Attractions on Beshtau: monastery, lake and Temple of the Sun
When hiking Beshtau, you can also visit Monastery Lake, the Dormition Church, and the Temple of the Sun:
- Dormition Church or Dormition Second Athos Beshtaugorsky Men's Monastery. This is an active men's monastery. It is located a little off the most popular and easiest climbing trail, but an asphalt road leads right to its gates, part of the ring road around the mountain (church on the map).
- Monastery Lake. A small, beautiful lake with water lilies. You can swim here, but the water entry is inconvenient, so people more often have picnics here (lake on the map).
- Temple of the Sun. It is believed to be the ruins of an ancient Scythian temple and a place of power, but some think it's just a natural rock formation. What to believe is up to you, but it's definitely a place worth visiting. Here, on a small platform, there is a large conical stone with a hollow base that you can crawl under. You can visit the Temple of the Sun on the way to the summit from the Pyatigorsk side (temple on the map).
How to climb Beshtau on your own: a detailed guide
There are many trails leading to the summit of Beshtau, but they are not official tourist routes with markings. No permits are required to hike them; you can go anytime. However, formally it is a natural monument, so making fires, setting up camps, breaking trees, or otherwise damaging nature is prohibited. But in practice, tourists camp on the slopes and trails without any consequences. Throughout the routes, there are no equipped toilets, sources of drinking water, or shops — bring everything you need (water, snacks, wipes) from the city.
No mountaineering skills are needed for the ascent; it's doable even for children and elderly people in good physical shape, as long as you choose the right route, since they differ in difficulty. You should bring at least one and a half liters of water per person, something to snack on, good hiking shoes, a hat, and preferably trekking poles. Don't go in shorts and t-shirts in summer, as some trails have lots of nettles and thorns. It's best to start the hike early in the morning to make sure you return before dark.
The best way to explore interesting places in Pyatigorsk is through tours. You can buy tours from street vendors, but it's more reliable to do it online through these trusted review sites:
Three routes to climb Beshtau: which one to choose?
People climb the mountain from Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, and Lermontov, though it's easy to come from any other CMW resort to the trailheads and make the ascent in a day. All trails start from the ring road around the mountain and are quite distinguishable despite the lack of markings. Some routes diverge and converge, crossing each other. For navigation, it's best to use a GPS or a smartphone with apps like Organic Maps, OSM, etc., which have all the trails marked. Download the key points from our map into these apps for reference.
Using Yandex or Google Maps is pointless; they don't have the trails. On the easier routes in summer, there are always tourists, so even if you lose your way, you can ask for directions.
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Route No. 2: From Pyatigorsk (classic, via the Temple of the Sun)
From other CMW resorts and Pyatigorsk, the best way to reach the trailheads is to drive to the ring road around the mountain (the Beshtau Ring) in your own car and leave it, for example, at the Dormition Church or simply by the side of the road. It's quiet here, and people leave cars without problems or consequences. An asphalt road leads all the way to the church; access is from Beshtaugorskoye Highway, where you turn onto Kaskadnaya Street, which will take you to the Beshtau Ring and the church.
You can also reach the ring road on foot from the center of Pyatigorsk and other cities. To do so, first take a train to Lermontovsky station, or from the resort area of Pyatigorsk, take trams No. 2, 4, 6 to the final stop "Belaya Romashka". Once you get to Lermontovsky station, go left of it through a passage between buildings to the railway tracks, cross them, and then go straight for 4 kilometers to the ring road.
On the ring road on this side of the mountain, there are several trails to the summit. The easiest and most convenient for ascending/descending starts here (start of the route on the map). This is a relatively gentle path, known as the classic route, and you can also visit the Temple of the Sun along the way. You can also do it in different ways: go up one trail and down another.
Two more trails start near the Dormition Church (start of the route on the map, start of the route on the map), and directly from the church. But these are very steep climbs with loose stones; we wouldn't recommend them for a first time, or for children and the elderly.
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Route No. 3: From Lermontov (steep ascent, difficult descent)
From the city of Lermontov, a moderately steep trail leads up, which is easy to ascend but hard to descend. So, as an option, you could go up from Lermontov and descend via the easy route into Pyatigorsk (see above). The trailhead in Lermontov is on Gornaya Street (start of the route on the map).
Route No. 1: From Zheleznovodsk (the gentlest and easiest)
From Zheleznovodsk, the easiest and gentlest route leads up, though it's quite long. It is suitable for tourists of any fitness level, including families with children and elderly people. You'll need to cover 4.5 kilometers one way, gaining over 700 meters in elevation. The path starts from Zheleznovodsk train station (start of the route on the map), initially on a dirt road that later turns into a trail, leading you to the summit. Unfortunately, on this route you won't be able to visit the Dormition Church or the Temple of the Sun, but if you really want, you can descend via another trail into Pyatigorsk and see them on the way, then return to Zheleznovodsk by taxi or minibus.
