It runs in the general north-south direction through northern Sichuan (the eastern part of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture and adjacent areas of Mianyang Prefecture-level city) and southernmost borderlands of Gansu.

The highest elevation is Mount Xuebaoding ("Snow Treasure Peak"), 5588 m and the second highest is Mt Little Xuebaoding ("Little Snow Treasure Peak"), 5443m.

Both rivers flow in the general southern direction, and are tributaries of the Yangtze.

[2] The Lazikou Pass, a site of strategical importance during the Long March, passes through the Min Mountains and connects northwestern Sichuan with southern Gansu.

[3] Important tourism and nature conservation objects in the Min Mountains include the Jiuzhaigou Valley Nature Reserve (in Jiuzhaigou County) and the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (in Songpan County); both are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.