This article shows the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment of the Katunsky reserve on the eco-trail “To the Land of Lakes and Waterfalls”. The research was carried out by three methods: assessment of trail degradation, camps and phytomass in damaged and reference areas. During the pandemic, a process of severe ecosystem degradation was identified, associated with a dramatic increase in the number of visitors to the reserve. Closed state borders and lifted restrictions on entry and exit to the Altai Republic have made the Katunsky Nature Reserve popular for recreational activities.