This rolling upland in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan is an outlier of the montane vegetative zone that occurs on the lower slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The climate is cooler and more moist than the surrounding Mixed Grassland ecoregion. The mean annual temperature is approximately 3°C. The mean summer temperature is 15°C and the mean winter temperature is -9°C. The mean annual precipitation ranges 325-450 mm.

The Cypress Hills, rising abruptly 400-500 m above the surrounding plains, are composed of a mix of dissected Tertiary and Cretaceous sediments covered with glacial till, or with loessial deposits on unglaciated upper plateau sections. The Cypress Hills slope eastwards from a maximum elevation of 1,465 m asl at the west side. Natural vegetation ranges from fescue and wheatgrass grasslands below 1000 m to a mixed montane-type open forest of lodgepole pine, deciduous trees, and shrubs at upper elevations. Numerous species, including larkspur, death camas, and wild lupine, are not found elsewhere on the prairies. Chernozemic Black and Dark Brown soils are dominant. Luvisolic soils under pine forests and loamy Regosolic soils on eroded valley slopes are also present. The ecoregion slopes eastward and is drained by deeply incised Frenchman River, and Battle and Swift Current creeks. Mule and white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, sage grouse, short-horned lizard, western rattlesnake, coyote, rabbit, and ground squirrel are common in the region. Audubon's warbler is a unique bird, which is not found elsewhere on the prairies.

Physical conditions allow free-range livestock grazing and limited production of cereals on smoother lower slopes. Wildlife hunting and recreation are also important uses on rougher upper slopes. The population of the ecoregion is approximately 3,900.