This region of fescue grassland lies in the chinook belt of southwestern Alberta along the face of the Rocky Mountain foothills. The climate is characterized by warm summers and winters that are mild, due to moderating chinook conditions. The mean annual temperature is approximately 3.5°C. The mean summer temperature is 14°C and the mean winter temperature is -8°C. The mean annual precipitation ranges 400-450 mm.

The thick grass sward and Black Chernozemic soils are similar to those of the Aspen Parkland ecoregion, but trees are found only in very sheltered locations along some of the waterways. This grassland community is dominated by rough fescue with lesser quantities of Parry oat grass, June grass, and wheat grass. Forbs are abundant and often include yellow bean, sticky geranium, bedstraw, and chickweed. Drier sites have an increased amount of needle-and-thread grass. Moist sites along stream banks, north-facing slopes, and seepage sites support shrub communities dominated by snowberry, rose, saskatoon, and silverberry. Grazing and tillage have disturbed most of the native vegetation in the region. Underlain by sandstones and shale, the surface is covered by undulating to rolling, loamy glacial till and clayey lacustrine deposits. Chernozemic Black soils are dominant in the region. Intermittent sloughs and ponds on the plains provide habitat for waterfowl. White-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, coyote, rabbit, ground squirrel, sage grouse, and duck are common in the region.

The northern section of the ecoregion is almost completely cultivated. Its southern section, along the United States border, has a mixture of cultivation on the flatter portions and ranching on the rougher, ridged components of the uplands and foothills. The major communities include Beiseker, High River, and Cardston. The total population is approximately 528,000.