Black Rock Lake
A glacial lake on the crest of the Lagodekhi reserve at 2,600 m, right on the Georgia-Russia border — Kakheti's most serious trek.
- Time needed
- 4 h
- From Tbilisi
- 160 km · 2:40
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- June–September
- Entry
- free
You cannot drive to Black Rock Lake — and that is precisely the point. The glacial lake lies on the crest of the Lagodekhi reserve at around 2,600 m, straddling the border between Georgia and Russia's Dagestan; its cold water, up to 14 m deep, sits cupped in alpine meadow.
Lagodekhi, founded in 1912, is Georgia's oldest nature reserve. The waymarked loop to the lake runs about 38 km and normally takes 2-3 days: day one is a roughly 1,500 m climb through beech forest, day two crosses the alpine crest to the lake, day three brings you back down.
What the trail serves up:
- The Meteo shelter (16 bunks) and the newer Demidovi shelter — mattresses provided, spring water nearby
- Caucasus panoramas sweeping from the Alazani valley to the ridges of Dagestan
- A border guard post on the crest, where documents are checked
The season is short — late June to early October; the rest of the year the crest is under snow. This is a genuine mountain trek, not a stroll: come fit, equipped and with a weather margin.
Practical advice
Registration at the Lagodekhi visitor centre is mandatory and you must carry your passport or ID — the route enters the border zone and guards will log you on the way. A shelter bunk costs about 20 GEL per night, camping 5 GEL, paid in advance at the centre. Horses can be hired with a local guide. Carry all your food; springs supply water. Weather on the crest flips in minutes — warm layers and a rain shell are essential.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi follow the Kakheti highway (S5) through Gurjaani and Tsnori to Lagodekhi — 160 km, about two hours forty, asphalt the whole way. The trailhead is the Lagodekhi visitor centre at the top edge of town; leave the car there, because from that point everything is on foot. Refuel in Gurjaani or Lagodekhi. An economy car reaches the trailhead without any trouble — in the mountains you will not need it.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
Lagodekhi Protected Areas
Georgia's oldest nature reserve on the Azerbaijani border — forest, waterfalls and the multi-day trek to Black Rock Lake.
Khareba Wine Tunnel
Kilometres of tunnel cut into the Caucasus foothills at Kvareli, holding wine at a steady 12-14°C all year.
Kvareli and the Kindzmarauli zone
Kakheti's main red-wine microzone — tunnel cellars cut into rock, two lakes and a natural base for a harvest trip.
Best car for this trip
Guides
- Winter Driving in Georgia: What Closes, What Opens, Which Car Of the 267 places we map, 161 are in season in winter and 52 are flagged as not reachable year-round. The pass
- The Best Time to Visit Georgia, Counted Month by Month Georgia does not have one season. It has two countries: a 60% country from November to April and a 99% country
Pickup locations
Car Rental at Tbilisi Airport — 117 km (straight line)