The region has several mountains over 900 metres high, including: the Wasserkuppe (950.0 m) and Heidelstein (926 m).

Other summits over 900 metres are regarded as subpeaks due to their low isolation and prominence.

To the north and west are the Western and Eastern Kuppen Rhön, to the northeast is the Eastern Rhön Foreland.

In the southeast is the Eastern South Rhön, which as part of the South Rhön and the tertiary level major region of Odenwald, Spessart und Südrhön, is part of the South German Scarplands (a 2nd order natural region).

The Central Rhön is described as the "central bulge of the High Rhön, a highland region divided into ridges, high plateaus and, in the west, into individual domed summits, sometimes with wooded slopes and grassland on the heights.