The Sierra del Burro increases in altitude and width as it goes from north to south. At its northernmost point near the Rio Grande, the Sierra is about wide and has a maximum elevation of about . At its southernmost extremity, about 28’ 30° North latitude, it reaches a width of more than and a maximum altitude of near where it merges with the
Sierra del Carmen and becomes known as the Sierra Madre Oriental. The
Rio San Rodrigo is the largest river originating in the Sierra del Burro. The drainage from the Sierra is to the Rio Grande. The Sierra is located in the
Chihuahua Desert, and most of the vegetation is arid or semi-arid desert scrub, including
chaparral and
Tamaulipan matorral. Oak forests are found, mostly at elevations of more than . Among the fauna are the
elk and
American black bear, both endangered species in Mexico, except for the Sierra del Burro where they are still found in fair numbers, but considered at risk.
Beaver are also found in the Sierra. Due to its proximity the flora and fauna have similarities to that of the
Big Bend region of Texas. The climate is arid to semi-arid. Most precipitation occurs in the summer, but notably vigorous convection occurs in April and May. The Sierra del Burro and an area extending slightly southward for decades has been recognized by meteorologists using
satellite and
radar data as a region of consistent and intense
supercell activity,
orographically influenced by the Sierra, and annually producing significant
tornadoes and
hail. Due to the rugged terrain, aridity, and inhospitable environment, there are no towns or any paved roads in the Sierra. The sparse population mostly inhabits large ranches. ==Conservation==