The Saale-Orla district is mostly in the Thuringian Slate Mountains or in its transitional areas to the Thuringian Holzland and the Vogtland. As a result, the terrain has a clear low mountain range character, more than 80% of the area of the district is over 400 m high. The lowest point is the Orlatal with a height of approx. 180 m above sea level. NN in the municipality of Langenorla. At 733 m, the Sieglitzberg near Bad Lobenstein near the Bavarian border is the highest point in the district. The highest place is Rodacherbrunn at about 700 m altitude.
