Snake Mountain (Orenburg)

Snake Mountain, also known as Khan Mountain, Khanova Mountain or Khan's Grave, is a unique geological and palaeontological landmark in the Sol-Iletsk District of Orenburg Oblast, located between the villages of Belyaevka and Mikhailovka, about 45 km south of Orenburg. The mountain is a tall right-bank bluff of erosional origin on a sharp bend of the Berdyanka River. The bluff rises about 35 metres. Its rock face exposes an almost continuous sequence of Upper Jurassic deposits — rocks between 150 and 170 million years old — containing a huge quantity of fossilized fauna.

Jurassic Fossils

Snake Mountain is one of the few places in Orenburg Oblast where Mesozoic-era fossils can literally be picked up by hand. The main "souvenirs" are belemnite guards (known locally as "devil's fingers") and mother-of-pearl ammonite shells. These cephalopod molluscs once inhabited the warm shallow sea that covered what is now Orenburg Oblast during the Jurassic period.

In the mountain's deposits, scientists have found the bones of a large marine reptile, believed to belong to a plesiosaur — a predatory reptile up to 15 metres long that lived alongside the dinosaurs. The fossil-bearing layer is 12–14 metres thick. Snake Mountain has attracted numerous official palaeontological and stratigraphic expeditions — researchers including D. N. Sokolov, D. I. Ilovaysky and K. P. Florensky have worked here, producing dozens of published scientific papers.

Snakes

The mountain's main name — Snake Mountain — comes from the abundance of snakes here. Seven species live at its base and on its slopes, the most common being vipers and grass snakes. In spring, snakes come out in large numbers onto the sun-warmed rocky slopes, so visitors are advised to be careful and wear closed shoes.

Names of the Mountain

The mountain has several historical names. "Khan Mountain" (or "Khanova Mountain") comes from a legend that a nomadic khan was buried on its summit — hence the name "Khan's Grave" as well. "Snake Mountain" is the popular name that stuck because of the many snakes on its slopes, and it is the name by which the mountain is best known among tourists.

Getting There

From Orenburg (about 45 km): take the Belyaevskoye highway (near the village of Ivanovka) south through the villages of Panika and Pugachyovskoye. In Pugachyovskoye you can stop at the abandoned Church of St. Alexis. After Pugachyovskoye the road becomes unpaved on the way to Mikhailovka. The total distance from the highway to the foot of the mountain is about 35 km.

From Sol-Iletsk (about 50 km): take the R-239 highway toward Orenburg to Yolshanka, then turn right onto an unpaved road through Mayakovskoye, Maloprudnoye and Meshcheryakovka to Mikhailovka. A shorter route across the fields exists, but it is easy to get lost without GPS navigation.

The unpaved sections of the road are difficult to drive after rain — a vehicle with high clearance is recommended.