This species inhabits clear, cold swift-moving mountain streams with coarse substrates. It is primarily found in older forest sites, required microclimatic and microhabitat conditions are more common in older forests (Welsh 1990). Diller and Wallace (1999) reported that canopy cover, temperature, and forest age in managed forests were not significantly different between occupied and unoccupied stream reaches in northern California; however, this probably reflects past timber harvest patterns. Animals may be found on land during wet weather near water in humid forests or in more open habitat. During dry weather it stays on moist stream-banks and lays eggs in long strings under stones in water. It is unclear as to whether or not it is tolerant of habitat disturbance.

This species occurs in the Cascade Mountains and Pacific coastal areas of North America from west-central British Columbia in Canada, south to northwestern California in the United States of America (Nielson et al. 2001, Stebbins 2003).

Conservation Actions 
The species range includes many national parks and wilderness areas. 

Conservation Needed
Protection and management of cool, forested, unsilted streams and stream corridors is a basic conservation need.