Shikahogh State Reserve: old-growth forest, river crossings, and the dark canyon of Mtnadzor

The Shikahogh State Reserve extends across the southeastern slopes of Mount Khustup and northeastern slopes of the Meghri Range, occupying the upper basins of the Tsav and Shikahogh rivers. The reserve ranges from 700 to 2,800 meters in elevation and protects roughly 10,330 hectares of oak, hornbeam, beech, elm, and plane forest. It is Armenia's second-largest forest reserve, lying remote near the Iranian border, and ranks among the last intact old-growth forests of the South Caucasus. The staging point for entry is the town of Kapan; from there, logging roads penetrate into the protected area. In Mtnadzor Canyon, the "dark valley" at the village of Tsav, steep north-facing slopes block sunlight from much of the gorge throughout the day.

Location and overview

Location: Region Syunik, southern Armenia, near Iranian border. Type: nature reserve, subtropical forest. Established September 13, 1958, to protect remnants of ancient oak and hornbeam forest and threatened fauna. Area approximately 10,330 hectares, elevation 700 to 2,800 meters; reference point approximately 1,400 meters (39.04 N, 46.45 E). IUCN Category Ia (strict nature reserve). Flora: approximately 1,100 plant species, 70 of which appear in Armenia's Red Book; the Oriental plane grove (Platanus orientalis) along the Tsav is counted as the Caucasus's only natural plane forest. Fauna: brown bear, lynx, wild boar, roe deer, wolf, and rare species including Caucasian ibex, mouflon, and occasionally Persian leopard. Nearest town: Kapan. Best season: May through October.

History of the reserve

The reserve was established on September 13, 1958, to preserve one of the last patches of primordial oak and hornbeam forest in the South Caucasus. Unlike much of Armenia's forests, Shikahogh largely escaped the massive logging that followed Soviet collapse, attributed to its remoteness and the respect of neighboring villages. Mtnadzor Canyon at the village of Tsav gained literary recognition through the prose of Armenian writer Aksel Bakunts. In 2005 the area became the focus of a controversy when environmental groups opposed a planned highway across the reserve that would have bisected it and granted poachers and loggers access to previously protected areas.

Legend and tradition

According to tradition, the plane trees along the Tsav were held sacred by ancient Armenians; certain specimens are said to number several thousand years old. An old legend recounts that the beautiful Armenian king Ara the Beautiful (Ara Geghetsik) and the Babylonian queen Semiramis met in this plane grove. It is also recorded that the grove lay on a branch of the Silk Road and served as a resting place and oasis for merchants. The name Mtnadzor means "dark valley" and alludes to the twilight that the steep, south-facing slopes cast across the gorge for most of the day.

Why visit

Shikahogh is one of Armenia's few regions where continuous old-growth forest has survived, and the Tsav plane grove is the Caucasus's sole natural specimen of its kind. Strict protection status and lack of infrastructure keep visitor numbers low: to see the reserve requires a guide and entry solely via logging roads. The brief, reliable season from May through October and river fords across the Tsav transform the journey into a deliberate undertaking rather than a casual stop. Add to this the fauna, which authorities say remains incompletely catalogued, with rare species ranging up to the Persian leopard.

Practical information

Access: from Kapan via logging roads and old tracks into the reserve; the final stretches are unpaved and include river crossings. Vehicle: high-clearance 4x4 with low-range gearing and ample ground clearance. Season: May through October; in spring, tracks become muddy after thaw and rain, ford water levels fluctuate. Entry: Category Ia reserve; admission is restricted and requires accompaniment by a local guide. Bring: sturdy footwear for short walks, water, provisions; no facilities exist within the protected area. Stay on paths and remove nothing. Allow extra time due to fords and gradients, well beyond what mere distance implies.