[6] The Cairngorms themselves are a spectacular landscape, similar in appearance to the Hardangervidda National Park of Norway in having a large area of upland plateau.

[9] The Monadhliath mountains lie to the north of Strathspey, and comprise a bleak, wide plateau rising to between 700 and 950 m.[10][11] Two major transport routes run through the park, with both the A9 road and the Highland Main Line crossing over the Pass of Drumochter and running along Strathspey, providing links between the western and northern parts of the park and the cities of Perth and Inverness.

[12][13][10] The majority of the rocks within the Cairngorms National Park belong to the Dalradian Supergroup, a thick sequence of sands, muds and limestones that were deposited between about 800 and 600 million years ago on the margins of the former continent of Laurentia.

These Dalradian and Moine successions were intensely faulted, folded and metamorphosed during the Caledonian Orogeny between about 490 and 430 million years ago.

The subsequent collision of Baltica with Laurentia caused the 'Scandian event' which involved further folding and faulting of the Dalradian rock sequence.

The Cairngorm mountains provide a unique alpine semi-tundra moorland habitat, home to many rare plants, birds and animals.

Speciality bird species on the plateaux include breeding ptarmigan, dotterel, snow bunting, golden eagle, ring ouzel, and red grouse.

[17][18] Mammal species include red deer and mountain hare,[17] as well as the only herd of semi-domesticated reindeer in the British Isles.

The expanse of pinewood that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland, and the park as a whole holds more than half the surviving Caledonian forest.

[6] In upper Strathspey, the Insh Marshes form one of the largest areas of floodplain mire and fen vegetation in Scotland,[23] and are important for many species of birds that breed there each summer.

the Hardangervidda National Park),[28][29] however Scotland in general lacks such areas, as thousands of years of human activity, including agriculture, historical deforestation, overgrazing by sheep and deer, and extensive 20th century afforestation with introduced tree species (particularly conifers), have resulted in landscapes which are best described as semi-natural.

[6] Nine of Scotland's national nature reserves are located within the park: Abernethy, Corrie Fee, Craigellachie, Glen Tanar, Insh Marshes, Muir of Dinnet, Invereshie and Inshriach, Glenmore, and Mar Lodge Estate.

[31] The idea that parts of Scotland of wild or remote character should be designated to protect the environment and encourage public access grew in popularity throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

[41] In early 2017, the park was voted by Hundredrooms as one of the top seven eco-tourism destinations in Europe and discussed as a "mecca for outdoor enthusiasts".

[42] The Visit Scotland web site discusses the amenities and indicates that this park "has more mountains, forest paths, rivers, lochs, wildlife hotspots, friendly villages and distilleries than you can possibly imagine".

There was controversy surrounding the construction of the Cairngorm Mountain Railway at the Cairn Gorm Ski Centre, a scheme supported by the national park authority.

Supporters of the scheme claimed that it would bring in valuable tourist income, whilst opponents argued that such a development was unsuitable for a protected area.

[46] The Cairngorm Mountain Railway funicular was closed in October 2018 "due to health and safety concerns", or "structural problems" according to reports in summer 2019.

[47][48] Aviemore is a busy and popular holiday destination, located close to Glenmore Forest Park and the Cairn Gorm Ski Centre.

The Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2017 - 2022 includes three long-term goals: conservation, visitor experience and rural development.

It can, for example, acquire land, make byelaws and management agreements, provide grants, offer advice, and undertake or commission research.

[59] In 2012, some scenes for the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises were filmed at Cairngorm Gliding Club's site at Feshiebridge.