[4] It is native to California (Inyo + San Bernardino Counties),[3] Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

It is very drought-tolerant and lives in arid regions on sandy and limestone-rich soils.

[6] Artemisia bigelovii is a shrub growing from a woody base and reaching a maximum height around 50 cm (20 inches).

[4] The stem branches and leaves are coated in silvery hairs, giving the plant a gray color.

[4] This species of sagebrush is good winter fodder for grazing animals and it is cultivated as plant cover on recovering rangeland and for erosion control.