The reserve stretches along the Black Sea coast from Foros to Gurzuf for 40 km, with a maximum width of 23 km from north to south. It includes part of the sea coast. The highest point of the reserve, Mount Roca, is 1349 m high. Geographically, the reserve is located within the Main Ridge of the Crimean Mountains and partially in the southern Mediterranean region of Crimea.

The reserve covers the southern slope of the Main Ridge, extending from the southwest to the northeast. It consists of rocks of different ages: from dark gray Triassic shales to Jurassic limestones and Quaternary loess. The upper and middle parts of the slopes are steep and rugged, while the lower parts are gentle and cut by valleys and gorges.

The upper part of the ridge is occupied by the Ai-Petri and Yalta plateaus, representing a hilly plateau ranging from several hundred meters to 5-7 km wide with karst depressions. There are about 200 karst cavities in the reserve.

The climate in the lower part of the reserve is close to Mediterranean, while in the upper part it is temperate and humid. The average annual temperature is +13 °C, in January +3.5 °C, in July +24 °C. The frost-free period lasts 247 days, snow cover lasts on average 11 days, and the annual precipitation is 550-560 mm. In the plateaus, the climate is moderately cool mountain: the average annual temperature is +5.7 °C, in January -4 °C, in July +15.4 °C. The frost-free period lasts 150-160 days, snow cover lasts 110 days, and the annual precipitation is 960-1050 mm.

Forests occupy about 75% of the reserve's territory and can be divided into three main belts. The first belt, on the coastal slopes up to 400-450 m, is represented by forests of fluffy oak with juniper and pistachio. After logging, thickets of dogwood and hornbeam often appear here. The second belt, from 400 to 900 m, consists of forests of Crimean pine with oak, hornbeam, and ash. The third belt, above 900 m, is represented by pine-beech forests. In the plateaus, mountain-steppe and meadow communities prevail.

The reserve is home to about 1363 species of vascular plants, which constitutes 65% of the species of the Mountain Crimea and 28% of the species of Ukraine. Among them are many endemics, such as low carnation, Crimean bindweed, and Crimean peony. There are also 78 species of rare plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, including high juniper and Crimean violet.

The fauna of vertebrates is less diverse than the flora. There are 150 species of birds, including peregrine falcon and steppe eagle, 37 species of mammals, such as roe deer and mouflon, 16 species of reptiles, including Crimean gecko, and 4 species of amphibians. Some animals, like the large horseshoe bat and badger, are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Invertebrates are represented by insects such as swallowtail and Euxine satyr.

The Yalta Mountain Forest Reserve was established on February 20, 1973, based on the Yalta Forestry. In 1992, it received its current name. The area of the reserve in 2013-2014 was 14,523 ha. After Crimea's annexation to Russia, the reserve was nationalized and transferred to various agencies, and in 2018 it received federal status and came under the management of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia. The area of the reserve was changed to 14,459.5783 ha.