[3] They are geologically distinct from the Black Hills, on the other side of a "racetrack" region of red stone.

[4] The east face of the Elk Mountains is a 300-to-800-foot (91 to 244 m) high escarpment, but the west portion falls slowly and features many canyons.

Today the large South Dakota portion of the mountain range is in the Hell Canyon District of the Black Hills National Forest, while the much smaller Wyoming portion lies in the Bearlodge District.

Elk Mountain is the highest point of the range and has a lookout tower on its summit.

Tiny unincorporated Dewey and ghost town Burdock lie to the west.