intricatus is native to the Southwestern United States, from California to Colorado, where it grows in mostly dry habitat such as deserts.

It can be found in rocky places and slopes of mountain brush, pinyon juniper woodland, and ponderosa pine forest vegetation types.

intricatus is a thickly branched shrub spreading and growing erect to heights between one and three meters.

The many short gray twigs on the branches bear tiny, widely spaced evergreen leaves.

Each thick, short leaf is a centimeter long or less, rolled under at the edges, and leathery in texture.