This species occurs in desert flats among Joshua trees, creosote bush scrub and pinyon-juniper woodland (Ingles 1965, Stevens and Tello 2009) It is also found among big sagebrush in west-central Nevada. Soil may be coarse sand, gravelly, alkaline, or crusty and impregnated with salts. It generally avoids the vicinity of cliffs and areas with desert pavement (Intres and Best 1990). When inactive, it occupies burrow in mound at the base of shrub.

This kangaroo rat is solitary except when breeding. Home range size varies seasonally; average 0.4 hectare, peak 1.2 hectare (Intres and Best 1990). Breeding season reportedly peaks in February or March, but pregnant females have been found also in late April and late May. Gestation lasts 29-30 days. Litter size is three to four. Weaning period begins at 27-29 days. Young leave burrow at 28 days. Sexual activity begins at about 24-56 days. This species possibly has an increased need for water (in the form of succulent vegetation) prior to reproduction.

Diet is probably similar to other closely related species of Dipodomys that feed primarily on seeds, but also eats some insects and green vegetation. In the San Gabriel Mountains, California, cheek pouches contained green grass shoots in winter and pouches also often contained juniper berries. This species is active throughout the year except when snow cover is greater than 40%. Activity peaks at two and six to nine hours after sunset, there is little or no activity around sunrise (Intres and Best 1990).

This species is found in the United States in east-central California and west-central Nevada, south to east of Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert in southern California. There are disjunct populations in southeastern California and adjacent southern Nevada (Intress and Best 1990).

This species is not of conservation concern, and its range includes a few protected areas.