Gol Ramian Spring

Gol Ramian Spring, also known as Gol Ramian Lake, is one of the natural attractions and sights of Golestan Province, located south of Ramian County. A popular recreation spot for people from nearby and distant cities, it is also considered one of the deepest springs in the world. On the slopes of a mountain called Penhan Khaneh, amid a dense forest of broadleaf trees and farmland, lies a spring known as Gol Ramian Spring. This beautiful spring looks like an oval-shaped hollow, similar to a basin, and was formed by subsidence in a limestone formation. Gol Ramian is regarded as one of the deepest and coldest springs in the world; it was once 44 meters deep, and its depth now reaches 80 meters. In 2016 (1395 in the Solar Hijri calendar), the spring was inscribed on Iran's national list of natural heritage.

Various species of fish live in Gol Ramian Lake. The main fish in the lake is the Caspian kutum (river whitefish), which feeds on aquatic insects and mollusks. In this region, this fish is valued for sport angling with a hook. The vegetation of the area includes broadleaf trees, oak and hawthorn shrubs. The Zarbin cypress (mountain cypress) forest reserve is located near Gol Ramian. The heights of this area were also home to very valuable ancient forests; unfortunately, for more than a decade the Forests and Rangelands Organization has been planting conifers in their place. Unfortunately, because a road was built to the edge of the spring and the soil around it is vulnerable, signs of landslides can be seen around the spring, to the point that the roots of some trees are exposed.

The word "gol" is a Turkic word meaning a deep area, or a large hollow. Many Turkic peoples lived in the Ramian region throughout history, and they gave Turkic names to many of the surrounding tourist attractions. In the distant past and in different periods of history, the Ramian spring was referred to as Gol Ramian. Ramian is the name of the county near this spring, and "gol" means the spring itself or a deep point in the ground; so this natural feature has been called Gol Ramian since long ago. Over time, however, the word "spring" (cheshmeh) was added, and the name Gol Ramian Spring became established among the people.

Gol Ramian Spring is located in the foothills near Ramian County and has a cold mountain climate, so many people choose this area for summer trips to northern Iran. If you want to enjoy the cool air and the lush greenery of the surrounding nature, we recommend visiting in spring and summer. In these two seasons the weather is cool and mild, and nature is at its most beautiful. Rainfall gradually increases in autumn, and in winter, because of the cold, visiting the area is practically impossible. Please note that swimming in this lake is prohibited, and there is a risk of drowning even for professional swimmers.