[1] The Sierra extends north and south, and divides the upper basins of the Juchipila River to the west from the Río Verde to the east.

[1] Much of the surrounding area is a subtropical highland climate with heavy thunderstorms and rainfall common during the summer months and snowfall is rare, occurring once per year.

[citation needed] Higher elevations of the range are covered in pine–oak woodland, with pines and/or oaks as the dominant trees, with manzanillo (Arbutus spp.)

Areas that have been logged are covered in thickets of manzanillo, and montane grasslands occur on canyon slopes.

These include the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), eared quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus), Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae), lesser scaup (Aythya affinis), and northern pintail (Anas acuta).