Sahara Karagöl National Park - Artvin
Karagöl is located 25 km north of Şavşat district. In general, the site includes Palaogene and Neogene lands. Most of the rocks in the region are of sedimentary origin. Karagöl and its environs, which show a rare topographic character, were split in places with valleys. These splits caused the landslide and mass movements to be active in the region. Black Lake; It is a landslide lake formed by the water accumulated in the bowl rationally behind the sliding mass. The area around the lake is covered with dense forests and the tree species that make up the forest are usually spruce and pine trees. Knitted by these natural elements, Karagöl has rare landscape beauties. In addition, there are areas of Bagat locality in the northeast of the lake and around it, which have the characteristics of grass skiing. Rare landscape beauties, cultural, recreational and touristic potential in the field of Plant Species; As a tree; Spruce, Scots pine, Ahlat, As a tree; forest rose, Cranberry, Hazelnut, Shrub; Forest Strawberries, Blackberries and Herbaceous plants; There are ferns and meadows. Animal Species: Mammals; Bear, Wolf, Rabbit, Pig, Badger, Fox, Squirrel, Lynx, Birds; Partridge Born Wild Pigeon, Crow, Magpie, Starling, Jay, Fish; Trout and Carp, Snake, Lizard and Turtle are among the reptiles. In the Karagöl section, there is a facility that serves as a rural casino and provides accommodation with 20 beds. The forested areas in the east and west of Karagöl provide good qualities for daily and camping use. In the Sahara part; In the region, which is characterized by high plateaus, Kocabey Plateau barracks has the potential to provide fixed facility services as accommodation center. Kocabey Plateau, which is located above, is considered as a more suitable area for organizing "Sahara Beet Festival" as in previous years. SAHARA DEPARTMENT: Karagöl-Sahara National Park, located within the boundaries of Şavşat District, consists of two separate fields. It consists of forest cover, spruce and firs and has a sparse texture. In the region, the areas of anthropogenic steppe cover large areas. Plant species belonging to alpine zone are found in and around Kocabey Plateau. The region has a geological structure consisting of cover basalts in general. Tertiary formations occur where the cover basalts are stripped. Slope values ​​are quite high in the region which is fragmented by deep valleys. The Sahara appears to be one of the limited plains on this sloping terrain gradually progressing at 1700-1800 meters. There is scotch pine in the lower zones. There are plant species belonging to Alpin Zone in Kocabey Plateau and its surroundings. The flats which are gradually located at 1700-1800 meters on the edge of Reşat Creek are also the scene of "Sahara Beet Festival". Local people living outside the region also participate in these festivals and contribute to the region in terms of domestic tourism. Rare landscape beauties, cultural, recreational and touristic potential is high, rich flora and fauna, interesting geological features and natural landscape beauty is a national asset worth preserving.