[1] A 'humped profile' dry valley running west–east, and followed by the bridleway between Brocton and Beggar's Hill is interpreted as a glacial overflow channel, operative during the ice age.

It comprises a mixture of natural deciduous woodland, coniferous plantations, open heathland, small lakes and the remains of early industry, such as coal mining.

underway to increase the amount of heathland on the chase, reintroducing shrubs such as heather in some areas where bracken and birch forest have crowded out most other plants.

[4] The chase is an important local amenity for recreation, with 58% of the National Landscape area publicly accessible, and several visitor attractions lie within it.

At its southern edge are the remains of Castle Ring, an Iron Age hill fort, which at 242 metres (794 ft) is the highest point on the Chase.

Freda, the Harlequin Great Dane mascot of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (Earl of Liverpool's Own) is also buried on the chase marked with a memorial marble headstone.

The purpose-built XC 'Follow the Dog' trail[7] is an 11 km (6.8 mi) technically challenging route, opened in 2005, starting and finishing at the Birches Valley Visitors/Cycle Centre.

Increasing popularity of the MTB trails led Network Rail to install a cycle bridge in 2013 at Moors Gorse to replace the previous pedestrian level crossing where multiple near misses indicated a high risk to cyclists.

Also contained within the chase is Hednesford Hills Raceway a historic venue that frequently hosts Stock Car Racing and Banger Racing A model World War I battlefield was constructed near Brocton by German prisoners of war held in a camp on nearby Cannock Chase and guarded by soldiers of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.

[11][12] In September 2013 Staffordshire County Council allowed a team of local archaeologists and volunteers to excavate the well-preserved battlefield, revealing many new details.

Raymond Leslie Morris, a motor engineer from Walsall, was found guilty at Stafford assizes of one of the murders in 1968 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The 1972 Labi Siffre album Crying Laughing Loving Lying features a track, written on Cannock Chase, and named after it.