This species inhabits mesic forests, often under leaf-litter, logs, or mossy rocks. It is a terrestrial breeder with direct development. It is fairly tolerant of timber cutting. Seven hours of search effort over four nights in each of two sites yielded 50 individuals in an area that had been clear-cut 10 years earlier and 65 individuals in a forested site (Ash et al. 2003). It is known to hybridize with Plethodon jordani at the Great Smokies, and with P. teyahalee at part of the Cowee area.

This species occurs in the area where North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia abut with each other. It is known from Cowee, the Balsam Mountains, and the Blue Ridge, at an elevational range of at least 256–1,295 m asl, usually above 800 m asl (Highton and Peabody 2000). Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 11,224 km².

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species is present in protected areas throughout its range.