The main feature is soft sandstone of the Upper Cretaceous Nanaimo Group, frequently exposed, otherwise with a thin overburden of podzolic soil.

The topography is steep, with occasional small plateaux; the park is basically the sheer southern slope of Mount Galiano.

The vegetation is typical of south-facing slopes in the Coastal Douglas-fir zone, intergrading with Garry Oak and Arbutus.

The grasslands and open woodlands have an abundance of wildflowers typical of this zone, notably fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) and Collinsia parviflora.

Because the park is part of an integral forest area, upland wildlife is also abundant, notably black-tailed deer and sooty grouse.