Its podzolic soils are strongly acidic and coarse, with abundant sand, gravel and stones.

Drainage is not as rapid as would be expected from the soils' coarse texture because the subsoils tend to be cemented.

Among deciduous trees, the black cottonwood is largest; trembling aspen and paper birch are also prominent.

Blue River has a continental climate which is subject to frequent modification by maritime air masses from the Pacific Ocean.

Summer days are warm or occasionally hot, with thunderstorms often spawning over the nearby mountains.