該保護區地(di)理位置(zhi)為:東經126°35′~128°02′,北緯42°06′~43°51′。總面(mian)(mian)積(ji)(ji)約114.5萬(wan)公(gong)頃。其(qi)中林(lin)(lin)地(di)82.3萬(wan)公(gong)頃,占總面(mian)(mian)積(ji)(ji)71.9%;水域5.7萬(wan)公(gong)頃,占總面(mian)(mian)積(ji)(ji)的5.0%。三湖保護區地(di)處長白山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)余脈(mo)。四面(mian)(mian)環(huan)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),西面(mian)(mian)是吉林(lin)(lin)哈達嶺山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)脈(mo),北面(mian)(mian)是老(lao)爺(ye)嶺山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)脈(mo),東面(mian)(mian)是威虎(hu)嶺和黃(huang)泥嶺山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)脈(mo),南(nan)(nan)面(mian)(mian)是老(lao)嶺山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)脈(mo)。地(di)勢東南(nan)(nan)高(gao)西北低(di)(di)。地(di)貌多為中(高(gao))山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)?低(di)(di)(丘)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)?崗(臺)川(chuan)(chuan)類(lei)。其(qi)面(mian)(mian)積(ji)(ji)比例大致為七(qi)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)二崗一川(chuan)(chuan)。境內山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)巒起伏,綿延不斷(duan),溝壑縱橫,異峰突兀(wu)。海拔800米以上的山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)峰有80余座,其(qi)最高(gao)為南(nan)(nan)樓山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan),海拔1404.8米,在樺甸市常(chang)山(shan)(shan)(shan)(shan)境內;最低(di)(di)為豐滿壩下,海拔約190米。該地(di)區地(di)質構成多為玄武(wu)巖(yan)、石灰(hui)巖(yan)、土壤類(lei)型(xing)為暗(an)棕(zong)壤、白漿(jiang)土、草甸土、棕(zong)色(se)森(sen)林(lin)(lin)土、泥炭(tan)土等。
三湖保護區(qu)處于北溫(wen)(wen)帶大陸性(xing)季(ji)風(feng)氣(qi)候區(qu)內。四(si)季(ji)分明,年、日較差大。春季(ji)干燥多風(feng)?夏(xia)季(ji)溫(wen)(wen)熱多雨?秋季(ji)晴爽?冬季(ji)嚴寒?年平均氣(qi)溫(wen)(wen)在1.9℃~4.4℃之間?極端高溫(wen)(wen)36.6℃,極端低溫(wen)(wen)-45℃。年≥10℃積溫(wen)(wen)為(wei)(wei)1900℃~2800℃,并呈由南(nan)至北增加趨勢(shi)?年日照時數2350~2450小時?年降(jiang)水量由南(nan)向北略有減少,為(wei)(wei)834~673毫米之間。無霜期大致為(wei)(wei)110~130天。一月平均氣(qi)溫(wen)(wen)約為(wei)(wei)-18℃,七月平均氣(qi)溫(wen)(wen)約為(wei)(wei)20℃左右。該(gai)區(qu)夏(xia)季(ji)盛行(xing)西南(nan)風(feng),冬季(ji)盛行(xing)西北風(feng)。
保護(hu)區由于(yu)受(shou)到三(san)個(ge)湖泊及(ji)森(sen)林等因素影響,又(you)具有湖泊氣(qi)(qi)候、谷地(di)氣(qi)(qi)候和(he)森(sen)林氣(qi)(qi)候的復合特征。