The Kamyshinskie Ushi (ears) Mountains are located in the nature reserve not far from the town of Kamyshin. These are old small mountains (30-40 meters high) comprised of the large grey sandstone slabs. The slab bases are covered with pieces of ancient tree leaf prints. The only hard-rock outcrop in the Volgograd region is also located there. That is why this natural monument is often visited by geologists, geobotanists and geographers.

The study of the mountains started in the middle of the 19^th century when Roderick Impey Murchison, famous British scientist, came there. After the exploration of siliceous sandstone the geologist found the ancient plant prints.

The Kamyshinskie Ushi are rich in Paleogenic flora prints which are about 60 million-year-old: chestnut oak, litsea, guelder-rose, unique Kamyshin magnolia, etc. Moreover, petrified tree branches and trunks can be found in Kamyshin neighborhood.

Scientists suppose that more than 40 million years ago there was a warm shallow water reservoir which shore was covered with lush subtropical vegetation. The Kamyshinskie Ushi formed about 30 million years ago from sandstone at the territory of disappeared Paleogenic seas. Many of the findings from the mountains are exhibited in the local history museums of Volgograd and Kamyshin.