The mechanical behavior and microstructures of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Cr aluminum alloy during multi-stage hot deformation were investigated by thermal stimulation test, optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The true stress vs true strain curves and the microstructure evolution of two hot deformation procedures were gained. The flow stress of the alloy studied decreases with increasing the deforming passes and declining the temperature, and the larger the temperature decline between adjacent stages, the larger the peak stress fall is. The stress-strain behavior mainly result from the dynamic recovery during deformation, the static recovery and re-crystallization in the delay time, and the second phases precipitated from the matrix at high temperature.