Its eastern flanks are drained by the Coldrach Burn and the Allt Coire na Sgreuchaig, both flowing into the Clunie Water to join the River Dee just north of Braemar.

The northern and western slopes are drained by a series of streams running directly into the Dee as it passes to the north of the hill.

The hill's lower northern slopes are the site of the Morrone Birkwood Special Area of Conservation, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Floristically unaltered since the end of the last ice age, it is the sole surviving example in Britain of a sub-alpine birch-juniper wood on basic soils.

Some of the stands of juniper are the largest and most diverse in Scotland, and it has an extensive range of rare flora such as twinflower, interrupted club moss and globeflower.

The descent from the mountain can be varied by following the vehicle track serving the summit structures, which runs south and then east to end on the old military road in Glen Clunie, from where it is a short walk back to Braemar.