Numerous volcanic features are located along the eastern edge of the range bordering the Taos plateau[5] including nearby San Antonio Mountain.

Much of the western part of the range, also known as the Brazos Mountains, is in the privately owned Tierra Amarilla Land Grant.

The terrain consists of harder granite and metamorphic rock, and is more rugged than the eastern side.

Grouse Mesa, the highest peak in the Tusas Mountains, has a subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc).

Gold and silver were discovered in the Tusas in 1881, but the deposits were of low quality and the area never saw significant mining activity.