Kamennomostsky: Discover a gorge, dolmens and fossils

• Kamennomostsky is one of the tourist centers of the Republic of Adygea.
• The Khadzhokh Gorge lies in the southern part of the settlement, at the entrance to the gorge. Its old name is Canyon «Shum»; since 1979, it has been a natural monument of local significance.
• The Khadzhokh Dolmen is located in the northern part of the settlement and is one of the few surviving dolmens in the Khadzhokh megalithic group.
• There are sixteen waterfalls in total on the Rufabgo, in the area around the settlement.

The Khadzhokh Gorge is a striking natural feature in the southern part of Kamennomostsky. Its old name, Canyon «Shum», and its classification as a natural monument of local significance since 1979 give it a distinct historical and landscape context. The Rufabgo Waterfalls, by contrast, are in the area around the settlement: there are sixteen waterfalls in total on the Rufabgo. This gives you two different natural attractions to choose from: the gorge in the settlement and the waterfalls nearby.

From Kamennomostsky, you can take a free walking trail past the Khadzhokh Gorge and then along the Belaya. The trail runs below the «Pronesi gospod’i» rock. As trail conditions may change, check them before setting out. This route starts in the settlement; the described approach to the Ammonite Valley starts elsewhere.

You can visit the Ammonite Valley by descending to the river from the bridge over the Belaya between Tulsky and Kamennomostskiy. To help with orientation, note the difference from the free walking trail: it starts in Kamennomostsky and passes the Khadzhokh Gorge, while the bridge between the two settlements is the stated starting point for the Ammonite Valley.

The Khadzhokh Dolmen is in the northern part of Kamennomostsky. Its front wall has an oval opening, and it is one of the few surviving dolmens in the Khadzhokh megalithic group. Its location in the northern part of the settlement distinguishes it from the Khadzhokh Gorge in the south. If you are interested in cultural traces, you can see a specific architectural feature here, along with its place in a megalithic group.

The «140 million years ago» museum displays a collection of fossil ammonites. There is also a tree outside the museum whose fourteen trunks grow from a single root. Kamennomostsky thus brings together different natural records: fossil finds in a collection and a tree with an unusual growth form. If you are planning a museum visit, check current visiting options in advance.

Beyond Kamennomostsky, the Republic of Adygea offers other distinct destinations. The Caucasus Nature Reserve Museum was founded in Guzeripl in 1956. Its exhibitions cover the reserve’s history, flora and fauna, and include specimens and interactive content. Check current visiting options before planning a visit.

Also in Guzeripl, visitors can see wildcats, wolves, red deer, fallow deer and other wild animals at the enclosure complex, and learn about their lives in the wild. It is also a good idea to check current visiting options before your visit. The Granite Canyon offers a different landscape: this gorge lies in Adygea, south of the Dakhovskaya stanitsa, and was formed by the currents of the Belaya. These examples are in the Republic of Adygea; they are not attractions in Kamennomostsky.

Discover more destinations: Maykop, Obraztsovoye, Krasnogvardeyskoye, Khamyshki, Koshekhable, Krasny Most, Dakhovskaya, Guzeripl'.

Where is the Khadzhokh Gorge?

It lies in the southern part of Kamennomostsky, at the entrance to the gorge. Its old name is Canyon «Shum»; since 1979, it has been a natural monument of local significance.

What is special about the Khadzhokh Dolmen?

Its front wall has an oval opening. It is also one of the few surviving dolmens in the Khadzhokh megalithic group.

How can you visit the Ammonite Valley?

The described approach leads down to the river from the bridge over the Belaya between Tulsky and Kamennomostskiy.

To the main travel overview: Republic of Adygea.