The PPCB area occupies open expanses of California annual grassland along both sides of Bitterwater Road, and near Palo Prieto Road, and Davis Road, in the Palo Prieto Pass, Choice Valley, and Bitterwater Valley area of the San Andreas Rift Zone.  Portions of the PPCB lands are on the flat valley bottom and flat terraces, while the majority of the properties are on rolling hills.  The region is undeveloped with widely scattered residential and farming compounds.

The PPCB is located at an important crossroads for San Joaquin kit fox movement between the Carrizo Plain population, the Ciervo-Panoche population, and the Salinas River Valley.  Kit foxes are observed as residents and moving through the area.

The PPCB properties contain a natural lake, or sag pond, listed on USGS topographic maps as Grant Lake. Other nearby sag ponds, not on the PPCB, include Twisselman Lake and O’Brien Lake.  Numerous small vernal and seasonal ponds and pools occur on the PPCB.  Land features reflect the influence of the San Andreas Rift Zone.  Wetland areas within the PPCB support rare amphibians, crustaceans, and flora.  The sag ponds have historically been some of the premium California tiger salamander habitat in California, supporting thousands of animals in good breeding years.  Farming has taken a toll on these tiger salamander populations, and the PPCB will protect its tiger salamander habitat.  Preservation of tiger salamander habitat also protects other common and rare amphibians such as the Western spadefoot toad and California toad.