[5] Apache trout are a yellowish-gold color with a golden belly and have medium-sized dark spots that are evenly spaced and that may extend below the lateral line and onto the dorsal and tail fins.

It natively lives in clear, cool streams in the White Mountains that flow through coniferous forests and marshes, but has been introduced into several lakes in the area.

Apache trout have been introduced into isolated streams outside of their historic range in the Pinaleño Mountains and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Ongoing conservation efforts by the White Mountain Apache Tribe have helped to preserve the subspecies.

Catch and release fishing opportunities for wild (stream born), pure-strain Apache trout exist in a limited number of areas.

[12] The 2011 Wallow Fire resulted in the loss of stream barriers erected to prevent hybridization[11]: 62–63  and the extirpation of Apache trout from Coleman Creek[11]: 66  and likely of hybridized populations elsewhere,[11]: 62, 63  while the 2017 Frye Fire destroyed a stocked population in Ash Creek in the Pinaleño Mountains.

[11]: 65–66  Climate change causing rising temperatures and increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires threatens the existence of Apache trout.