The mountain range where this species occurs is one of the most rugged, inaccessible, and roadless landscapes in California (Clause et al. 2018). This species is most often encountered sheltering under stones on moist soil near seepy or flowing water, along permanent desert springs and creeks with riparian vegetation (Giuliani 1977, 1988). Vegetation along watercourses often consists of willows (Salix spp.), Desert Olive (Forestiera pubescens), Water Birch (Betula occidentalis), and Wild Rose (Rosa woodsii). Surrounding slopes are arid and usually rocky, with vegetation often dominated by Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.), and rabbitbrush (Ericameria spp.); a narrow majority of known localities lie below the sparse woodland of the piñon-juniper belt (Marlow et al. 1979, Stebbins 2003). Although flowing water and intact riparian vegetation are believed to offer vital habitat for this species, well-documented records demonstrate that Batrachoseps campi is not restricted to areas with flowing perennial water or riparian vegetation; a few captures in pitfall traps in one area without surface moisture and two other documented sightings indicate that the species could be more widely distributed in the Inyo Mountains than previously thought (Giuliani 1977, Jockusch 2001, C. Norment pers. comm. February 2021). This species presumably breeds by direct development like all other Batrachoseps for which data exists, and the eggs are presumably laid in moist crevices underground or in rock fissures (Hansen and Wake 2005).

This species is restricted to the Inyo Mountains in Inyo County, California, USA. It occurs on both the eastern and western slopes (Jockusch 2001). This mountain range lies between the western Great Basin and northern Mojave Deserts, and is considered one of the westernmost massifs of the Basin and Range province (Hall 1991). Nearly all known localities are comparatively small areas of suitable mesic riparian habitat bordered by large expanses of possibly inhospitable desert or semi-desert terrain (Hansen and Wake 2005). However, a few individuals have been found in areas without surface moisture, indicating that this species may be more broadly distributed below the surface (Giuliani 1977, Jockusch 2001, C. Norment pers. comm. February 2021). This species occurs at elevations ranging from 490–2,625 m asl (Jockusch 2001, Hansen and Wake 2005, Clause et al. 2018). It is possible that this species occurs at more localities across a broader elevational range. Although further surveys are needed to clarify the precise extent of this species' range, it is considered unlikely to occur outside the Inyo Mountains and its overall distribution is relatively well resolved. This species is known from twenty-one localities that are thought to represent a 2–3 threat-defined locations due to physical differences that alter the susceptibility of occupied areas to the random occurrence of severe flash flooding. Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 458 km².

Conservation Actions In-Place
All known localities inhabited by this species occur in designated wilderness areas on federal lands managed by either the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service (Inyo National Forest), or Death Valley National Park. These areas are all under minimal to no development pressure (Clause et al. 2018). This species has long been listed as a Species of Special Concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Jennings and Hayes 1994, Thomson et al. 2016), and is listed as Sensitive by both the U.S Bureau of Land Management and USDA Forest Service. These listings have motivated substantial past and ongoing action to reduce overgrazing pressure and to control non-native Tamarix spp. growth across the range of this species (Clause et al. 2018). Under California Code of Regulations Title 14 Sections 5.05 and 5.60, there is a zero bag limit for Batrachoseps campi under sportfishing regulations, making it illegal to collect this species for recreational purposes state-wide. A recreational collecting moratorium also exists for all Batrachoseps salamanders in Inyo County (Clause et al. 2018). This species was petitioned for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act (Adkins Giese et al. 2012), but the petition was subsequently withdrawn and listing is no longer being considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Curry 2020).

Conservation Needed
Continued rigorous management of the federal lands that support this species is the best guarantee for its conservation. The threat of mining could become more severe if changes in the supply and demand of gold, silver or minerals were to increase regional mining pressure, although federal wilderness designation would complicate development on mining claims. Climate change could also increase pressure for new water diversions from the west-slope drainages of the Inyo Mountains. Non-native Tamarix spp., illegal marijuana cultivation, and overgrazing by feral burros could also become more severe threats over time if ignored. Therefore, strict management and adherence to regulations is vital. 

Research Needed
More information is needed on this species' local-level distribution, population status, ecology, and threats. In particular, surveys in non-traditional, non-riparian habitat are recommended in order to better understand the species’ occupancy rates in such habitats (Clause et al. 2018). Improved understanding of the species’ susceptibility to the amphibian fungal pathogens Bd and Bsal would also be valuable. Additionally, monitoring the frequency and severity of flash flooding in occupied habitat, together with periodic surveys of the more accessible known localities to confirm the ongoing persistence of this species, are recommended.