[3] It is located 83 km (52 mi) northwest of Golden along the west side of the Rocky Mountain Trench.

[2] Unicorn Mountain is glaciated with the Granite Glacier on the east slope.

Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from the mountain's east slopes drains to Swan Creek, whereas the west slope drains into Austerity Creek, and both are tributaries of the Columbia River.

Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,510 metres (4,954 ft) above Austerity Creek in 4 km (2.5 mi).

[4] The mountain's descriptive toponym was officially adopted on March 4, 1965, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.