It incorporates the municipalities of Abla, Abrucena, Alboloduy, Alsodux, Bayárcal, Beires, Canjáyar, Fiñana, Fondón, Laujar de Andarax, Nacimiento, Ohanes, Paterna del Río, Rágol, Las Tres Villas, Aldeire, Alpujarra de La Sierra, Bérchules, Bubión, Busquístar, Cáñar, Capileira, Dílar, Dólar, Dúrcal, Ferreira, Güéjar Sierra, Huéneja, Jerez del Marquesado, Juviles, Lanjarón, Lanteira, Lecrín, Lugros, Monachil, Nevada, Nigüelas, Pampaneira, Pórtugos, Soportújar, La Taha, Trevélez, Valor and La Zubia.

[citation needed] The Sierra Nevada National Park stretches from the Alpujarra to El Marquesado and the Lecrin Valley, covering a total area of 85,883 hectares,[1] There are more than 20 peaks over 3,000 meters, with the highest being Mulhacén (3479 m),[2] Veleta (3396 m)[3] and Alcazaba (3371 m).

The south and west faces are where you will find the majority of the almost 50 high-mountain lakes that exist in the Sierra Nevada, many of which are also the sources of streams and rivers.

Much of the landscape, particularly above 2,400 metres (which was the perpetual snow line prior to the Holocene period) was shaped by the action of glaciers, resulting in characteristic U-shaped valleys.

Threatened species include Artemisia granatensis, a sub-species of the Marsh Gentian endemic to the Sierra Nevada[8] and the alpine meadow-rue.