Polis Mountain, with its vibrant colors and enchanting landscapes, stretches from the Shkumbin Gorge in the north to Sopot and the Cave in the south. It is distinguished by its highly complex terrain, where elevations above 1,000 meters dominate. In its overall appearance, the mountain resembles a vast, rugged limestone slab, deeply fragmented and surrounded on all sides by steep slopes. Due to the development of karst formations, vegetation on the ridge of Polis Mountain is sparse. However, in more humid areas, the slopes are lined with trees. The ridge itself features rich subalpine and alpine pastures, as well as glacial lakes, canyons, waterfalls, niches, and prominent peaks.
The protected area is relatively small and primarily covered by beech and pine forests. The region is home to endemic and subendemic plant species, such as the Star of the Alps. It also serves as a crucial habitat and biological corridor for large mammals, including the brown bear (Ursus arctos), gray wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), wild goat (Rupicapra rupicapra), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Additionally, Polis Mountain is an important passageway for migratory birds.
