The Shilin Stone Forest is home to wildlife and wild plants, such as Yunnan camphyor tree, Chinese plum yew, beech, Mangnolia officinalis, Eucommia ulmoides, Neocheiropteris palmatopedata, pangolins, civets, muntjacs, eagles, pheasants, Garrulax canoruses, woodpeckers, Lady Amherst’s Pheasants, magpies, hares, squirrels, toads, lizards, etc.

Stones at the Stone Forest Scenic Area look like screens, lotus, sword, peacock. You will find the stones in various shapes. The best viewpoint for appreciating the stones is Wangfeng Pavilion (望峰亭). Changhu Lake is a lava lake, surrounded by green hills. Several islets lie in the lake. Bushanshao stands on the east of the Big Stone Forest. With an altitude of 1,796.7 meters above the sea level, it is the highest point at the Stone Forest. If lucky enough, you can find fossils of marine life, such as the fossils of the giant gastropods and coral fossils

Lizi Yuanjing Hill is dotted with strange stones. There are no tall trees there. The rock paintings present primitive religious content – figures of the primitive men, beasts, the moon and stars. Strange Wind Cave is not large. The diameter is about 1 meter. During the rainy season, the sound of the cow’s gasping is always heard in the cave. At Zhiyun Cave, you could admire stalactites, stalagmites and stone pillars. The cave is around 400 meters long, 5 – 30 meters tall, and 3 – 15 meters wide. Some stalactites look like sitting Buddhas, grapes, camels, trees and the like.

Stone Forest has been a settlement of Sani People for hundreds of years. Every lunar 24th of June, the Torch Festival is always held at the Stone Forest by them. At that time, you will appreciate the fierce bullfighting and try the authentic local food.