Waterfall on the Chyornaya Rechka (Chernorechye)

The waterfall on the Chyornaya Rechka is a cascade waterfall that is rare for the steppe landscape of Orenburg Oblast, located near the village of Chernorechye in Orenburg District, just 30 km (about half an hour's drive) from Orenburg. The small Chyornaya River tumbles down rocky ledges, forming a scenic cascade of drops. It is one of the most accessible and popular outdoor spots among residents of Orenburg, visited year-round. Admission is free.

About the Waterfall

The waterfall is small by the standards of mountain regions, but it is a true rarity for the steppes of Orenburg Oblast. The Chyornaya River cuts through layers of limestone and sandstone, forming several rocky steps over which the water cascades. Individual drops range from half a metre to a metre and a half in height. In spring, after the snow melts, the waterfall is at its fullest and most impressive. In summer the flow weakens but never dries up completely. In winter the cascade partly freezes, forming ice formations of bizarre shapes. Along the level banks near the waterfall, traces remain of an old water mill — the rocky ledges were apparently once used to power it.

The Village of Chernorechye

Chernorechye is one of the oldest villages in Orenburg Oblast, founded in 1736 as a fortress of the Orenburg Expedition on the Yaik River (now the Ural). The village's history is tied to famous names: during the siege of Orenburg, the Chernorechenskaya fortress was one of the main bases of Pugachev's rebels. Later, Alexander Pushkin visited the village while gathering material for The Captain's Daughter and History of the Pugachev Rebellion. During the Civil War, troops of ataman Dutov passed through Chernorechye.

Before the revolution, the local church held a relic — a banner bearing the image of St George the Victorious, presented in the name of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The banner was lost in 1919. Today the village has a Kazan Icon of the Mother of God church (built in 1952), and a landscaped spring has been set up on the approach to Chernorechye.

The Legend of the Chyornaya Rechka

According to local legend, in the early 19th century a young Cossack and a Cossack girl, devoted to one another, lived by the river. The Cossack went off to war and was killed. Unable to bear her grief, the girl threw herself into the river. Since then the river has been called Chyornaya (Black), and its water, so the legend goes, carries the sorrow of inconsolable love.

Getting There

From Orenburg, take the Chernorechye road heading south-west. The distance is about 30 km, roughly half an hour by car. The road is good, paved almost all the way to the village. From the village it is a few minutes' walk to the waterfall. The route is simple and hard to get lost on, but locals can point the way — tourists come here often. By public transport: buses run from Orenburg to Chernorechye, then it's a walk from there.