The Wooded Hills region of Kansas encompasses the eastern portion of the state, and is bordered by Nebraska to the north, Missouri to the east and Oklahoma to the south. A portion of the Missouri River forms the northeastern border. Kansas City is one of the largest cities in the region, and has large suburbs in Overland Park and Olathe. Other large cities include Topeka, the capital of Kansas, Lawrence and Leavenworth.

There are around 30 state parks and wildlife areas in this region, most notable include Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, Clinton State Park, Crawford State Park, Douglas State Fishing Lake, Elk City State Park, Leavenworth State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, Miami State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, Miami County State Park, Osage State Fishing Lake and Wilson State Fishing Lake. Other attractions in the region include Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park, and Black Jack Cabin, Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Fort Scott National Historic Site, Santa Fe Depot and the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway.

Primary industries in the region include manufacturing, particularly automobiles, and healthcare, with the largest employers in urban areas being university-affiliated healthcare systems. Topeka's largest employer is the State of Kansas, with it being the capital city, and healthcare, education, social services and manufacturing also contribute to its economy. State universities in this region include Pittsburg State University and Kansas State University, located in Manhattan and two federal or military, including Haskell Indian Nations University and United States Army Command and General Staff College. There are a large number of private universities, including Washburn University, Benedictine College, Cleveland Chiropractic College, Donnelly College, Kansas Christian College, Mid-America Nazarene University, Ottawa University, Saint Paul School of Theology, University of Saint Mary and more than 10 community and technical colleges.

Miami County is in the east central part of the Kansas Wooded Hills region, and borders Missouri to the west. It is named for the predominant Native American tribe that settled the area, the Miami. Paola is the largest city and the county seat. Other cities are Fontana, Louisburg, Osawatomie and Spring Hill, which is partly in Johnson County, and there are more than 20 other townships and unincorporated communities. There are eight lakes in the county, with the largest being Hillsdale Lake, which offers camping, fishing, swimming, boating, hunting, hiking, horseback riding and a special area designated for model airplane flying. There are many landmarks and buildings with historical significance in the county, including historical bridges and architecture, such as the Creamery Bridge, John Brown and Civil War historical sites near Osawatomie and Poor Farm Cemetery, just one of several historical cemeteries. The Miami County Farm Tour takes place in the spring each year, with various Miami County farms and farm businesses participating. The county has more than 1,500 farms, with the primary crops being forage including hay and grass silage, and other crops being soybeans, corn and livestock.

Johnson County is located just north of Miami County in the eastern part of the Wooded Hills region of Kansas, and borders Missouri to the east. It is the most populated county in the state. The most populated city is Overland Park and Olathe is the county seat. There are 20 cities in total in the county and there are less than 15 townships and unincorporated communities. An interesting fact about the county is that its roads have a grid network, with a road in every mile, which has facilitated rapid growth and easy access throughout the county. The service sector dominates the local economy in the area of Overland Park, including healthcare, retail trade, professional and technical services, finance and insurance and information technology. In addition to these, Olathe has commercial and industrial parks are home to many large companies, and the Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe is the second-busiest in the state. There are several colleges and universities in the county which include University of Kansas - Edwards Campus, Kansas State University ? Olathe Campus, Mid- America Nazarene University, Baker University ? Overland Park Campus, Ottawa University ? Overland Park Campus and Johnson County Community College. Some attractions in the county include Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Santa Fe Trail Marker and Santa Fe/Oregon Trail Junction, Frisco Train Depot and Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, which includes the Legler Barn Museum Complex and Rose's Pond, a great space for hiking, swimming and picnicking.

Douglas County is located in the center of the Woodland Hills region of Kansas, just west of Johnson County. It is the fifth most populated county in the state, and is the fifth smallest by land area. Lawrence is the county seat and the most populated city. Other cities include Baldwin City, Eudora and Lecompton, and there are around 25 other townships and unincorporated communities. The Kansas River defines the county's northern boundary, which flows through Lawrence. Some attractions in the county include Clinton Lake, a man-made lake that is a destination for boating, fishing, other water sports, and the parks surrounding the lake offer camping, trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding. Black Jack Park is in this county, which includes Prairie Preserve, Robert Hall Pearson Memorial Park, Broken Arrow Park and Wells Overlook Park. Other attractions include the University of Kansas Natural History Museum and the Haskell-Baker Wetlands. The University of Kansas main campus and Haskell Indian Nations University are both in Lawrence, and Baker University, the state's oldest university, is in Baldwin City.