This species inhabits the vicinity of quiet permanent waters of streams, marshes, or (less often) ponds and other quiet bodies of water. The frogs are sometimes found in damp woods and meadows some distance from water, especially during wet weather. This species occurs in sites with dense vegetation (e.g., willows) close to water and some shading. Red-legged frogs may occupy ephemeral pools if the water remains until late spring or early summer (Biosystems Analysis 1989). Aestivation sites include small mammal burrows and moist leaf litter in dense riparian vegetation up to 26 m from water (Rathbun et al. 1993, cited by USFWS 1994). Desiccation cracks in dry pond bottoms may be used as refuges (Alvarez 2004). Breeding sites most often are in permanent water; eggs are attached to stiff submerged stems at the surface of the water. It is unclear as to whether or not it is tolerant of habitat disturbance.

This species occurs from southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver Island, in Canada, south along the coast of the United States of America (primarily west of Cascade-Sierran crest), to northwestern California (Shaffer et al. 2004). The species has been introduced and is well established and widely distributed on Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii), British Columbia; it is unclear whether the species is native there or introduced many years ago (Ovaska et al. 2002). It is also introduced and established on Chichagof Island, Alaska; the source of the frogs was Oregon (Hodge 2004).

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in many protected areas, including several small wildlife refuges in Oregon and Washington managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and in some state refuges. Most of its range is within actively managed agricultural and forestry matrix, under the control of private owners, the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Forest Service.