Stone mushrooms in Russia

Stone mushrooms are a natural phenomenon. Approximately 150 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, a soft layer of rock (tuff) formed at the bottom of prehistoric seas. Volcanic eruptions on top of the Cretaceous rock formed a solid layer (basalt). Under the influence of water and wind, the soft tuff was destroyed, but in some places basalt «caps» over the tuff were preserved. Thus stone mushrooms appeared.

In this review on the online travel guide Geomerid you can read about the most famous stone mushrooms in Russia:

1. Stone mushrooms of Altai
2. Glade of Stone mushrooms on Elbrus
3. Demerdzhi Ghost Valley
4. The valley of Dzily-Su castles
5. Sand castles of the Irikchat River
6. Blue Stones in Kislovodsk
7. Red stone mushrooms

Stone mushrooms of Altay

Stone Mushrooms in the Akkurum site are one of the most famous sights of the Altay Mountains. They are located in the Valley of the Chulyshman River. Thousands of tourists come here every year to see this miracle of nature. Akkurum in translation from the languages of local peoples means "White scree". Here the Chulyshman River makes a very beautiful bend among the picturesque mountains. On the slope of one of the mountains there are famous Stone Mushrooms. 

For millions of years, under the influence of water and wind, the soft cretaceous rock (tuff) was destroyed. This happens even today, but such changes are invisible to the human eye. Basalt stones became a "roof" for soft rock, and tuff was destroyed on the sides. So there appeared "mushroom legs", which eventually become larger. The height of some stone mushrooms in the Altay reaches 8 meters. 

An individual visit to Stone Mushrooms is possible, but you need to cross the Chulyshman River. There are several campsites at the foot of the mountain where the Mushrooms are located. All of them offer services for crossing river by motor boat to the other shore. It is impossible to ford the river. The path from the river bank to the Stone Mushrooms goes uphill. The climb is 220 meters. The distance from the shore to the mushrooms is 1 kilometer. 

Read more about Stone Mushrooms of Altay

Glade of Stone Mushrooms on Elbrus

The Glade of Stone Mushrooms is located at an altitude of 3200 meters on the northern slope of Elbrus. It is located on the route where climbers climb to the top, however, this place can also be considered as a goal for a mountain hike. The Glade of Stone Mushrooms attracts followers of various mystical teachings no less than the German Airfield, which is located a little lower down the slope of Elbrus. 

The height of Stone Mushrooms on Elbrus varies from 2 to 5 meters. Altay’s «mushrooms» are higher, but there they are large stones on thin legs. Elbrus mushrooms look much more beautiful. One of them looks like a monkey`s head, the other clearly shows the profile of a man, the third looks like a chimney, the fourth looks like a clown in a hat. There are huge flat plates on thin legs here.  

The size of the Stone Mushroom Glade is approximately 250 by 100 meters. On both sides of the Glade, sloping slopes go down, like a dome. Mushrooms stand on top of the dome.  From the edge, the Glade under the Mushrooms is clearly visible, with its giant lava fields. From the south, the huge double-headed Elbrus with its glaciers rises above the Glade. Various esotericists and followers of bioenergetic teachings call the Glade of Stone Mushrooms a "Place of Power". They believe that this place has esoteric healing powers; moreover, it is not only about spiritual purification, but also about healing from diseases.

Read more about Glade of Stone Mushrooms on Elbrus

Valley of Ghost in Demerdzhi Mountain

Demerdzhi Mountain is located 10 kilometers north of Alushta. There are many tourist routes in the Crimean mountains and there are many interesting sights, but Demerdzhi Mountain is the most amazing of them. On the slopes of the mountain you can see unique weathering figures, which are called the Valley of Ghosts. There are several interesting places on Demerdzhi Mountain. Most excursions are limited to visiting the Valley of Ghosts, which is located at the foot of the mountain, near the village of Luchistoe.

There is a Giant Pillar at the entrance to the Valley of Ghosts. Its height reaches 25 meters. From here, the path goes to the right and steeply up. Visitors can get closer to the rocky remains, which look like various figures. One rock looks like the nose of a man, the second is like the head of a Tatar warrior, and some rocks resemble phalluses. In general, that`s why it is the Valley of Ghosts, so that people can see the most bizarre forms here. They look especially impressive in the fog, which are quite common on Mount Demerdzhi.  

Another attraction of Demerdzhi is Mount Alenga. There are also weathering rocks similar to pipes and stone mushrooms. This place is called Chomachai Rocks. Here is the famous rock, which some travelers call Troll Demerdzhi. It really looks like a troll. Others call this rock Giant Demerdzhi. Nearby there is a rock that resembles a giant caterpillar. There is also a rock that looks like a man in a hat. In general, there are a lot of interesting rocks here; some of them can be climbed. 

Read more about Valley of Ghost in Demerdzhi Mountain

Valley of Castles in the Dzily-Su

The Valley of Castles is one of the most famous attractions of the Dzhily-Su nature site, as these "castles" are visible from almost all places of the gorge. They are cone-shaped rocks with sharp peaks, which are also called "Dragon`s Teeth". These peaks are the result of the weathering of igneous rock. 

The height of the pointed rocks averages about 10 meters. The highest teeth have a height of 15 meters. These rocks consist of igneous rock that appeared here during the eruption of Elbrus. Under the influence of precipitation and wind, pointed teeth were formed. If there was a layer of solid rock on top of these teeth, then Stone Mushrooms would turn out, similar to those that can be seen on the Northern slope of Elbrus at an altitude of 3200 meters. There is a Glade of Stone Mushrooms on a small domed platform.  

In some places you can see stone mushrooms with small caps. There are narrow paths along the tops of the stone scree of the Valley of Castles, where you can walk and come close to the Teeth of Dragons. Here it becomes clear their huge size. The Sultan Waterfall is visible from the top of these scree slopes. A very beautiful view of the Valley of Castles opens from the slope of the mountain on the opposite side of the Malka River. 

Read more about Valley of Castles in the Dzily-Su

Sand Castles of the Irik-Chat river

The Sand Castles are located in the gorge of the Irik-Chat river, at the beginning of the hiking route. They are visible from afar. This wonderful natural landmark has been formed over the past few thousand years, thanks to precipitation and wind. Small caps have been preserved on the tops of some stone mushrooms.

A walk along the gorge of the Irik-Chat River is a popular hiking route in the Elbrus National Park. The route begins in the village of Elbrus, near the place where the Irik-Chat River breaks out of a narrow canyon into the Baksan gorge. The hiking trail ascends the mountainside from Lesnaya Street and the initial stage is the most difficult. The climb on the initial 1.5-kilometer section is 300 meters, from the level of 1820m to 2130 meters. As soon as the ascent to the plateau is over, you will see Sand Castles.

Read more detailed about Sand Castles of the Irik-Chat river

Blue Stones in Kislovodsk

The Blue Stones are located on a spur of the Jinal ridge near the top of the Red Sun Mountain. This place is the highest point where people can reach by hiking trails. There is only the Big Saddle Mountain above, but people go up there by cable car. Climbing the terrancourt No. 3, you can walk to the Red Sun Mountain. The Blue Stones are located just below and people usually go out on them to admire the forests and hills of the Kislovodsk National Park. In good weather, Mount Elbrus is visible from here.

The Blue Stones are a cluster of sandstones. Many of them have become like stone mushrooms due to erosion that has occurred over several thousand years under the influence of wind and precipitation. The surface of the rock and the "legs" of the stone mushrooms are gray, and the "caps" really have a blue tint. The particularly bright blue hue of the stones is visible at sunset. 

Read more detailed about Blue Stones in Kislovodsk

Red Stone Mushrooms in Kislovodsk

The Red Stone Mushrooms are located on a small hill in the far part of the Lower Park in the Kislovodsk National Park. They are four stone remnants of red sandstone. The height of large Red Stone Mushrooms reaches 7 meters, the diameter of the cap is about 3 meters. You can climb on them to take spectacular photos. To get to the Red Stone Mushrooms, you need to walk along the riverbed of the Olkhovka River. This place is called a Wide Beam. On the hill you will see two large Red Stone Mushrooms, and two smaller ones nearby.

There is another place in the Kislovodsk National Park where you can see Red Stones. This color is given to them by iron oxide, which is contained in the local sandstone. These stone figures were shaped by wind and precipitation, which caused erosion of the softer "legs", and the "hat" remained intact.

Read more detailed about  Red Stone Mushrooms in Kislovodsk