Kipyashchy Klyuch (Boiling Spring)

Kipyashchy Klyuch, or the Boiling Spring, is a natural spring inside Zyuratkul National Park in the Satka municipal district of Chelyabinsk Oblast. It lies at the foot of the Moskal ridge, just a few dozen meters from the Bolshaya Kalagaza River. The spring got its name from a distinctive feature: large bubbles of gas constantly rise from its bottom, making the cold water look as if it were boiling and bubbling all year round.

Nature

The water in the spring is clear, cold and considered very tasty, so hikers passing by often fill their bottles here. Gas bubbles rise continuously from the bottom in large bursts, creating visible motion on the surface — the effect that gave the spring its name. A small wooden well-house stands over the spring, protecting the water from leaves and forest debris and making it easy to draw water without bending down to the ground.

The spring sits in the forest at the foot of the Moskal ridge, right next to the bed of the Bolshaya Kalagaza River — the noise of the rapids can already be heard on the approach to the spring. Zyuratkul National Park is also home to other well-known natural sights: the Zyuratkul ridge and the lake of the same name, as well as the Ice Fountain, another spring in the park with its own distinctive feature.

Getting there

To reach Kipyashchy Klyuch, drive to the Alimpiev cordon of Zyuratkul National Park; from there it is about 2.5 kilometers to the spring, covered on foot or by a high-clearance vehicle such as a Niva. Another option is to approach from the village of Sibirka, which lies 8 kilometers southeast of the spring.

Kipyashchy Klyuch is considered one of the most easily accessible sights on the hiking route from the "U Tryokh Vershin" cordon in Zyuratkul National Park: a well-trodden path leads to it, so even an unprepared hiker can reach the spring. That makes it a popular stop for a short rest and for drinking water along the route — groups heading to the ridge or the lake often pause by the well-house over the spring.