Lake Maricheyka

Lake Maricheyka is one of the most picturesque high-altitude glacial lakes in the Carpathians, located on the northeastern slope of Mount Shuryn, in the Chornohora massif, within the Verkhovyna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region. It is part of the Carpathian National Nature Park. Not far from the lake stands one of the highest mountains in the Carpathian region - Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi, which reaches a height of 2028 meters.

The lake is 88 meters long, 45 meters wide, and sits at an elevation of 1510 meters above sea level. Maricheyka is the second largest lake in Chornohora by area. As early as 1880, T. Vishnyovsky noted that its maximum depth reached two meters. The current shallowing of the water body to 0.8 m (in the pits with bottom springs up to 1.1 m) is associated with the destruction of the moraine by the waters of the stream flowing from the lake. The basin has an elongated shape. The shores are low, partially covered with subalpine meadows and partially overgrown with sedge, surrounded by forests of spruce and mountain pine. It is fed by underground and partially atmospheric waters. The water is fresh and clean. The bottom is flat and muddy. Despite its shallow depth, swimming is possible.

A stream flows out of the lake, which flows into the river Pohorilets (a left tributary of Shybenyi, part of the Black Cheremosh basin). Several springs are also located near the lake. The nearest settlement is the village of Yavirnyk. From above, the lake resembles a huge drop of dew frozen among the dense coniferous forest.

There are several parking spots near Lake Maricheyka. Many tourists, upon reaching Lake Maricheyka, choose to stay overnight, and there is a simple explanation for this - the lake looks especially romantic at dawn.

Lake Maricheyka attracted the attention of tourists as early as the early 20th century: a route from Burkut to Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi passed by it. Memories of his first journey to Chornohora in the second half of 1904 were left by the famous Ukrainian mathematician Volodymyr Levytsky: "On the further road to the southeast from Pop Ivan, we pass a mountain lake, one of those that are many in Chornohora (but not as beautiful as the one under Turkul), then we find good spring water and soon find ourselves in beautiful weather on the summit of Pop Ivan. We rest for a while on this impressive mountain and admire the majestic view in all directions far into the Rodnian Alps...".

The landscapes of the lake delight every tourist's eye. The shores of the lake are adorned with forests of spruce and mountain pine. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The origin of the lake's name is preceded by a legend.

The Legend of the Lake

This all happened in ancient times. The evil enemies, the Tatars, descended upon our green land like black crows. They destroyed villages, killed people, and those who survived fled into the mountains. But the enemies learned that the Hutsuls were hiding somewhere in the dense forests and set off in a horde after them.
Maricheyka, the young wife of the shepherd Ivan, saw the enemies and whispered to her beloved:
- Ivan, dear! Hurry to our people, warn them!.. And I will try to delay them.
- I cannot leave you.
- Remember, dear, how many of us are up there in the mountains. Parents and mothers, old and children... All our people... They are in danger. Go!
And Ivan went. Proud Maricheyka stood in the way of the enemies. They captured her... They ordered:
- Lead us to your Hutsuls. Otherwise, death!
They walked until nightfall. Maricheyka led them into such wild places that they could not escape. The enemies became enraged and attacked her with sabers... The earth trembled, a terrible wind blew, thunder rumbled. And stones flew into the sky, the mountains shifted, and a lake was formed. In it, the enemies found their demise. Since then, the forest has been named after the brave girl, and the lake - Maricheyka...

Along Lake Maricheyka, there is a path - one of the most interesting not only in the Carpathian National Park but also in all the Carpathians. The natural landscapes possess incredible beauty. A trip to the lake will be a pleasant rest for all tourists and lovers of ecological tourism, in particular.

• Several tourist routes have been laid out that pass by Lake Maricheyka. One of them leads to Lake Shybenyi and Mount Pip Ivan, passing by Lake Maricheyka. The starting point is the mouth of the Shybenyi stream (a route length of 13 km, with a vertical ascent of 1170 m). From the mouth of Shybenyi, you need to walk west to Cheremosh for 4 km along a road suitable for vehicle traffic, then to the dam of one of the largest Carpathian lakes - Shybenyi. This natural lake is adapted for water collection (which was used for rafting timber down the Cheremosh river). The lake is located at an altitude of 1024 m, has a length of 850 m and a width of 200 m, with a depth near the dam of 25 m. After inspecting the lake, you need to return one and a half kilometers back, the road will lead to the mouth, which is on the left side of Pohorilets. From there, you can walk along the ridge to the Vesnarka meadow, under Mount Shuryn. Here you need to turn right, walk along the slope to the northeast, then to the northwest, and the road will lead to Lake Maricheyka (which is located 5 km from the start of the ascent). Behind the lake stretches the Maricheyka meadow, if you head west, you can reach the area between Mount Shuryn and Pip Ivan. From here, you can climb to the summit.

• You can also reach Maricheyka from Verkhovyna (the journey will take about two hours). This road is considered one of the most interesting in the Carpathians and has scientific and educational significance. It starts from the Homestead of the High Mountain Forestry and then goes along the slopes of the Chornohora ridge through an ecologically clean natural area. Along the way, you can encounter unique landscapes of alpine and subalpine zones. The flora is impressive with endemic and rare plants listed in the Red Book - kvasenytsia, Linnaeus's fern, blueberries, Heufler's saffron, St. John's wort. If you're lucky, you might encounter representatives of the local fauna - the spotted salamander, Carpathian newt, snow weasel, squirrel, capercaillie, white-backed woodpecker, hare, fox, wild boar, roe deer, deer.

The area around Lake Maricheyka has a considerable area, enough to accommodate a large group (even 30 people can stay here without problems). Three kilometers from the lake, in the Vesnarka meadow, there is a stable and several huts. One of them closes for the winter, as shepherds live here during the warm season. The closed hut has a stove and two rooms - a living room and a room where cheese is stored. There are also regular and two-tiered bunks. The premises are generally warm and can accommodate up to 10 people. The hut began to be closed a few years ago after a devastating fire. Another hut, as of May 2014, was uninhabitable.

Not far from the huts, almost 30 m from them, there is a permanent spring. It crosses the main trail on the tourist route. There are also several springs around Maricheyka, some of which flow from the lake itself. The lake water is clean, but it is not advisable to drink it without boiling it first.

To ascend to Lake Maricheyka from Shybenyi, you need to have an identification document (the optimal option is a passport). Without it, tourists are not allowed past the checkpoint. The road is marked and well-trodden. The distance from the Shybenyi checkpoint to Lake Maricheyka is 9 km (one way). If the weather is favorable and tourists have the appropriate physical fitness, they can reach it in 3 hours.

The ascent is steep in places, with a significant elevation gain: near the checkpoint, the height is about 850 meters, and to reach Maricheyka, you will have to climb to 1510 m. However, if your goal is the Chornohora ridge, this height will only be the beginning - four and a half kilometers from the lake is Mount Pip Ivan (height 2028 m), from there the hike along Chornohora to Hoverla (height 2061 m) will seem like an easy walk.

You can walk to Maricheyka or travel by bicycle, ATV, or UAZ. Cyclists should remember that the ascent will be challenging, but the descent will be unforgettable. This route is designed for trained and experienced tourist cyclists.

The area around the lake is partially marshy, so there is no possibility to rest directly on the shores. Most of the coastal zone is overgrown with reeds, which is increasing every year. Anyone wishing to swim in the water should remember that it is shallow, with a slippery bottom and very cold water. Lake Maricheyka is considered a good place for recreation, which can be quite easily accessed. Moreover, almost next to the lake, there is a road that can be traveled by car to Pip Ivan. The atmosphere of this unique natural lake monument is worth experiencing in person.

From Verkhovyna, you can reach Maricheyka by bus. The travel time will take about one and a half hours on average. Buses run twice a day from Shybenyi to Verkhovyna. However, most often tourists use taxi services, renting cars or minivans towards Shybenyi. It is worth remembering that the road to Shybenyi is not easy, so not every driver will agree to take you to your destination. There are several routes to Lake Maricheyka, the most convenient starts from the village of Shybenyi. From the "Shybenyi" checkpoint to Lake Maricheyka is 9 kilometers. It can be covered in about 3 hours (with a good level of physical fitness and favorable weather). The trail is well marked.

Border regime: Lake Maricheika is named in order No. 1663-AH of the 31st Border Guard Detachment (23.05.2024) among the places in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast closed to tourists; the order makes no provision for tourist permits. Check with the 31st detachment (Chernivtsi) before your hike. How to get a border guard permit (in Ukrainian).