Centrally located in the southern portion of the State of Idaho, the region is home to several conservation areas, nationally designated recreation areas, protected wildlife habitats and historic communities. These resources contribute to the economic vitality and livability of the region. The region is composed of eight counties, thirty-four incorporated communities, and encompasses 11,502 square miles. Of the 7,364,864 acres, federal, state, or local units of government control approximately 63% and roughly 37% is privately held. The City of Twin Falls is the eighth largest Idaho city and the largest community in the Region with nearly 52,000 people according to U.S. Census Bureau 2020 DEC Redistricting Data. Twin Falls serves as the major retail, wholesale, medical and educational center for the Region. Boise, the State Capital, is located roughly 120 miles to the west along Interstate 84. Boise's estimated population exceeds 228,000 and is the State's largest community. The City of Pocatello lies roughly 120 miles to the east along Interstate 86 and is the sixth largest city in the State.

The Region is comprised a complex mixture of different land types. The mountainous area in the southeast portion of the region lies in the Basin and Range Geomorphic Province; the mountainous or hilly areas of the South-central and Southwestern portions are part of the Owyhee Uplands section of the Columbia Intermountain Province; the central part of the Region from east to west, lies in the Eastern Snake River Plain. The Snake River Plain boarders the southern side of the basaltic Mount Bennett Hills with the fertile agricultural lands of the Camas Prairie on the southern side. The Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area in Camas County provides more than 6,000 acres of aquatic and upland habitat for waterfowl breeding and nesting. Historically, the area was used by the Bannock, Shoshoni, and Norther Paiute tribes for camas root gathering and summer hunting. Further north lies the rugged Idaho Batholith mountains – the Soldiers, Pioneers, Boulders, and Sawtooth’s. Elevations range from 2,000 feet where the Snake River exits Gooding County to 12,078 at Hyndman Peak east of Ketchum. With some areas referred to as high desert and others as forested mountain, the Region exhibits numerous soil types and natural vegetation varieties.

Due to these varied landforms, the overall regional climate is considered moderate. Although the area has four seasons, there exists a wide range of temperatures and conditions throughout the year. The higher mountain areas generally experience more snow and cold, while the Hagerman Valley, nestled in the Snake River canyon, is capable of raising fruit and melons. Avid golfers can play nearly year-round, while skiers can generally enjoy snowy conditions from November through April. Rangeland constitutes the major land use with over half (56.5%) of the Region designated as Range. Agricultural uses require approximately 1.7 million acres (23%) of the available land. Lava flows have caused the classification of slightly over 1 million acres in the Region as "barren". Development in Lincoln County is seriously affected by this problem as more than half of the County’s available land area is designated as barren. Lava flows also presents land use challenges in Blaine, Jerome, and Minidoka Counties. Forestland covers six percent (6.01%) of the Region. Only one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Region is classified as Water and four-tenths of one percent (0.4%) as Urban.