The State nature reserve Stolby is famous all over the world. It is situated near Krasnoyarsk city and doesn't have any similar nature reserves on the planet. The remnants of grandiose rocks which appeared on the surface of the Earth more than 400 000 years ago are unique and nobody knows why people deserved this phenomenon. These rocks have natural watching places and ledges for sport exercises. Evergreen taiga scenery is mixed here with harmony and freedom.

Long time ago this region was a hunting district. This is proved by the name of Laletina path and river as well as by the names of the rocks.

The official history of the nature reserve began when the first ascent to the First rock pillar was made and registered in 1851. The ascent to the First rock pillar (85 m) is the most popular and available now with many styles of climbing it. The second rock pillar (96 m) was firstly climed in 1887 and the peak Takmak-Kyzym (90 m) was conquered by the first Russian woman rock-climber Anastasiya Kachalova in 1899.

The first izba (Chernyshevskaya) in the nature reserve was built near the Third rock pillar by Aleksandr Semenovich Chernyshev - the first leader of all Stolby rock-climbers. It was destroyed by gendarmes in 1906.

The number of rock pillars' admirers was constantly growing. In 1925 the State nature reserve Stolby was founded on their initiative to preserve the only one in the world natural complex.

The territory of the nature reserve is 47 000 hectares. The surrounding territory is 13 000 hectares. The first director of "Stolby" was Aleksandr Yavorsky - a botanist and an author of the first scientific manuscripts about "Stolby".

Many years of natural processes watching provide precise and unique results which allow to preserve and carefully use the ecosystem of Krasnoyarsk region.

The taiga flora of the West Sayan mountains is amazingly colorful. It includes dark green fir, pine-tree, Siberian cedar, white birches, mountain ash, bird cherry tree, larch and alder. Taiga animals (sable, musk deer, hazel hen) exist with forest-steppe gopher, polecat and roe deer.

The workers of the reserve regularly carry out scientific research of rare animals and birds.