This species can be found in small streams and seepage areas, in leaf-litter, on wet rock surfaces, and under surface objects on the floor of cool, moist, red spruce-Fraser fir and hardwood forests. Juveniles have been found to be abundant in headwater seeps (Green et al. 2014). The larvae develop in water.

This species is found in a restricted area of the Great Smokey, Plott Balsam, and Balsam mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. It occurs at elevations ranging between 900–2,024 m asl (Petranka 1998, Green et al. 2014). Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 4,504 km².

Conservation Actions In-Place
The majority of this species' range falls within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Petranka 1998, Green et al. 2014).

In an effort to prevent the introduction of Bsal into the US, an Interim Rule of the Lacey Act has been enacted that bans the importation of 201 species of salamanders (USFWS 2016). Additionally, a temporary voluntary trade moratorium of imports of Asian salamander species that are known to carry the disease until such time as effective testing and treatment regimens can be developed and distributed has been recommended to all exporters, shippers, sellers and buyers by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). A North America Bsal Task Force has also been created, with working groups designed to address a variety of disease prevention and mitigation goals (North America Bsal Task Force 2021).

Conservation Needed
Continued rigorous management of the existing parks and improved precautions against the impacts of climate change and disease are recommended. 

Research Needed
Further research on this species' distribution, population size and trends is recommended.