This level to gently rolling landscape includes the lake plain of Glacial Lake Upham and a flat till plain. Bedrock lies 100 to 300 feet below. Glacial lake sediments, ground moraine, and a few low drumlin ridges make up most soils, with extensive peat formations on poorly drained deposits. Level terrain allows several major rivers to meander extensively, and few lakes occur. Forestry is the primary land use today, with agriculture important in some areas of the lake plain.
Tourism is limited to Sandy Lake.
Border Lakes Lakes and rocky ridges typify this landscape area, which includes part of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The area takes its name from the many large lakes over 300 larger than 160 acres scattered along the Minnesota-Canada border. Many rest in stream valleys enlarged long ago by passing glacial ice masses. Thin soils and glacially eroded bedrock mold irregular slopes, craggy outcrops and Eagle Mountain, the highest point in Minnesota. Soils are mostly coarse and loamy, though sandy, clayish soils are found on the western portion.