Ulagan lakes are located on a mountain plateau near the Katu-Yaryk pass. They are located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level between the Bashkaus and Chulyshman rivers. Hiking trails are laid between them. Many tourists come to the Ulagan Lakes for fishing.
There are quite a lot of fish in the Ulagan lakes, but in some places it is bred artificially, offering paid fishing services. Campsites have been built on the shores of some lakes, thus fishermen can comfortably spend time enjoying the purest ecology and fishing.
Some travel companies offer hiking and horseback tours of the Ulagan Lakes. These routes pass through the high-altitude taiga, overgrown with cedars and larches. Some of the Ulagan lakes are located near the Ulagan Tract (road), you can drive up to them by car. There are also lakes to which only hiking and horse trails are laid.
In total, there are more than 20 Ulagan lakes between the Katu Yaryk Pass and the Red Gate. Three lakes Ukchel (Lower, Middle and Upper) are located a few kilometers from the Ulagan tract in the lowlands. From the road, there is a very beautiful view of them. Several Ulagan lakes (Uzunkel, Cheybekkel, Kek-kel and others) are located closer to the Red Gate Rock. Many Ulagan lakes are recognized as Natural Monuments.
The most famous lake in these area is the Dead Lake (Cheybekkel). It has an elongated shape and is located directly along the Ulagan Tract. The Chibitka River flows into and out of it. This lake got the name Dead because there were no fish in it at all.
People believed that there were no fish in it because of mercury, since cinnabar (mercury compounds) were mined in the local mountains. However, later it turned out that there were no fish, because of the too shallow channel of the Chibitka River. Later, the fish in the Dead Lake was launched and now many fishermen come here for fishing.
