The park was created by the Russian Government on April 23, 1994, with the goals of protection and recreational use of the taiga forests of the Northern Urals.

The territory of the park is part of the Prepolar-Ural physical-geographical area and is located in three zones - mountain, foothill and lowland, which were formed more than 200 million years ago.

More than half of the park is covered with the taiga boreal forest; the rest is mostly tundra, found at higher elevations.

Among the mammals common in the park are the mountain hare, flying squirrel, reindeer, ermine, otter, Alces alces (known as the moose in North American English and elk in British English), wolf, fox, wolverine, bear, pine marten, weasel, Arctic fox.

Recreational uses of the park include rafting, boating, and hiking in the summer, Nordic skiing in winter.