I was in Krasnoyarsk for a day and a half, with the short time I had there I decided to visit Stolby Nature Reserve.
Quick Day Trip
I arrived early from Moscow; the time zone was already different when I arrived at Krasnoyarsk airport. I ended up staying a bit before leaving to catch the bus going to the city. I ended up getting lost and not knowing where my stop was. Thankfully, the conductor was nice and told me where to alight.
It took a bit longer to find my hostel, but I eventually did. I was still unsure about heading out because it was already cold in the morning (my trip was in late October to early November). I was also going to leave the next day, but I decided to go on a day trip to Stolby Nature Reserve. I asked the hostel receptionist about the directions to get there before leaving.
I showed the conductor which stop I was going to take and she told me I should alight somewhere else. As the bus passed the city center, there were fewer and fewer buildings. The trip took longer than I thought, but I eventually made it to the jump-off point of Stolby Nature Reserve.
This nature reserve is found at the border of the Siberian Plateau and the Sayan Mountains. This destination is famous for karst caves and the unique rock formations you'll see while exploring. The Krasnoyarsk Pillars that are open to visitors are the Tsentranie Pillars or Central Pillars. The park sees thousands of tourists annually.
The park is a welcome relief from the concrete jungle. I saw many locals coming and going. There are walkways and signs that make the walk relatively easy.
The trail was mostly flat with paved parts and stairs going up and down. The ascents and descents were gradual even for casual hikers or beginners. As I got higher and higher up the mountain, snow began to cover the surroundings. There are many trails that lead to different parts of the park, but I only followed one of these.
It was beginning to get dark when I reached one of the pillars the reserve is known for. It also got colder. So I decided to make my way down because I was unprepared for a longer trip in the mountains.
Stolby Nature Reserve is a nice day trip from Krasnoyarsk. I was en route to Irkutsk during my brief stop here. So I was unable to explore the city and other attractions. I would recommend this park for those who don't have much time but would want to get away from the urban jungle.
***Bring some snacks and drinks for the walk. Write down the Russian translation of the park and the stops you need to make to get there before heading out.