Lake Gizhgit is located on the western side of the Baksan Gorge at an altitude of 2160 meters. The road to it begins behind the village of Bylym, so it is also called Bylym Lake. The rugged coastline of the lake stretches among beautiful layered mountains, reminiscent of the landscapes of American canyons.
Baksan Gorge is part of the Elbrus National Park with a special nature protection regime, but Lake Gizhgit was created by man, not by nature. Recently, it has become very popular among tourists who want to see the emerald waters of this reservoir among the picturesque mountains.
Lake Gizhgit in Soviet times was a reservoir where waste from the Molybdenum mine was drained. It was the largest production in the USSR for the extraction of tungsten and molybdenum, very important metals for the defense industry. The plant operated from 1940 to 2001 and during this period it produced more than 400 thousand tons of tungsten and more than 80 thousand tons of molybdenum.
More than 20 years have passed since the plant was closed. Only ruins remained of the industrial workshops, and Lake Gizhgit turned into a natural attraction. Some experts suggest that its waters may still contain dangerous chemical elements, but locals believe that since trout live in the lake, its waters have cleared and now do not pose a danger.
In any case, tourists do not come here for swimming or long rest. They make a short stop here on their way to Mount Elbrus to admire the emerald waters of the lake and take beautiful photos. Such walks along the shores of the lake, in any case, do not pose any danger, but give a lot of positive emotions.
The turn from the Baksan Gorge to Lake Gizhgit is located just outside the village of Bylym, if you are driving towards Mount Elbrus. After passing the bridge over the Baksan River, you need to climb up the dirt road. The distance from the turn from the Baksan Gorge to the lake is 3 kilometers. The quality of the road is not high, but in dry weather it is passable for absolutely all cars. The time you will take to get up to the lake by car will be no more than 10 minutes.
