The Batang fault is a significant seismogenic fault in the oblique-slip Jinsha River tectonic belt, which triggered the Batang earthquake with a magnitude of 7.25 in 1870. It is mainly distributed in the deep-cut river valley regions of the Jinsha River and Lancang River. Due to the large relief in the deep-cut river valley regions, frequent landslide and debris flow disasters, and well-developed vegetation, the fault traces are not clearly visible. As a result, there are differing interpretations regarding the geometric distribution and activity nature of the Batang fault. This article, based on high-precision remote sensing, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric measurement, geophysical exploration, paleoseismic records of ancient landslides and deposits, and precise earthquake location methods, further refines the geometric distribution and activity nature of the Batang fault. The research results suggest that the Batang fault is a Holocene active fault, predominantly characterized by right-lateral strike-slip motion with a component of thrusting. The southwestern extension of the Batang fault (referred to as the Naozhong Fault), forming a V-shaped fault with the Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju fault, may serve as the southwestern boundary fault of the Zhongdian secondary block. The tectonic stress field reveals that the Batang fault experiences primarily southwest-northeast compressional stress, accompanied by a certain northwest-southeast extensional component. This may be attributed to the eastward movement of the Qiangtang Block, clockwise rotation of the Zhongdian Block, and the southeastward escape of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Finally, a preliminary summary of research methods for active faults in deep-cut river valley regions is provided, aiming to serve as a reference for the identification and investigation of active faults in such areas.