The topography of Kennesaw features the gently rolling hills characteristic of the Georgia Piedmont. Elevations within the city range generally from 950 to 1,150 feet above sea level.
The defining topographical feature of the immediate area is Kennesaw Mountain, a prominent monadnock (an isolated hill or ridge) that rises abruptly to an elevation of 1,808 feet (551 m). While Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is not entirely within the city limits, it profoundly shapes the local terrain, watershed, and development patterns. The city itself lacks major natural lakes but features several small creeks and streams that eventually feed into the Etowah and Chattahoochee river basins.