The Forest Secrets trail is the most visited in Valdai National Park, however, most visitors come here with large bottles to collect water in Sokolovsky Springs. It is a powerful spring with the purest drinking water. However, the Forest Secrets Trail is also of great interest to tourists.
The length of the Forest Secrets Trail is 2 kilometers. It is located near the village of Dolgie Brody. The trail has a circular route. Near the road where you can park your car, the trail splits. If you follow the trail straight, then after 300 meters, you will reach Sokolovsky Springs. The trail goes along a hill and you need to go down the slope to the spring for 30 meters. There are several springs in the hollow under the hillside. They merge into one powerful stream. According to the information on the stand, the water contains silver ions, as well as the Tekunok Spring, located 10 km away, on the northern shore of Lake Uzhin.
Then the trail approaches the Kraskovsky swamp. This is one of the largest marshes of the Valdai National Park, located between Lakes Valdai and Uzhin. Almost the entire swamp is already overgrown with a dense layer of moss and has a raised bog type. An observation deck has been built on the Forest Secrets trail, where you can look at the surroundings of the Kraskovsky swamp.
A path begins at this site, which stretches deep into the swamp. Some people take a stick and try to walk on it. At the beginning of the trail, you can feel your feet sinking into the moist soil. There is no obvious danger of fall through moss, but it is dangerous to follow it further. There are not many people on the hiking trail who could come to the rescue.
After seeing the Kraskovskoe swamp, go further along the trail. The terrain of the soil becomes rugged. It was formed under the influence of glacier moraines during the Valdai glaciation. There are a huge number of anthills in this place. An information stand "On a visit to the ants" is installed on the trail. Walking along the trail, you will see dozens of huge anthills. The height of some exceeds 1 meter.
