Prominent settings include South Park Elementary, various neighborhoods and the surrounding mountain range, actual Colorado landmarks, and the businesses along the town's main street, all of which are based on the appearance of similar locations in Fairplay, Colorado.

Titled South Park, it depicted a quartet of crudely animated grade-schoolers growing up in the small-minded, perpetually wintry town of South Park, Colorado. Parker and Stone cowrote the early episodes (Parker later took over primary script-writing duties) and voiced many of the characters.