 The terrain slopes to the east and south, with its highest point a local protuberance at 7.6 miles (12.2 km) west and 1.6 mile (2.6 km) south of St. Joseph, at 1,461' (445m) ASL.The county's total area is , of which is land and (3.4%) is water.The northeastern border of Stearns County is the Mississippi River.