The range rises between the Chaobai River on the west and the Shanhai Pass on the east.

The main peak, Mount Wuling, is 2,116 meters (6,942 ft) above sea level and is located in Xinglong County in Hebei.

The eastern stretch of the Great Wall of China, including Badaling in northern Beijing, can be found in the Yan Mountains.

The mountains are also an important traffic gateway between the north and south.

The range hosts the Yanqi Lake Complex, a sustainability project initiated by the Chinese government in advance of the 2014 APEC summit.