It is endemic to the Sierra de los Tuxtlas range in southern Veracruz state, Mexico.

[1][2] Its name refers to its type locality on the San Martin Tuxtla volcano.

Skin of the dorsum is rugose with groups of tubercles and short glandular folds, and typically with well-defined parietal and suprascapular ridges.

The sides are paler, usually pale yellow-brown or tan suffused with brown.

[3] Craugastor vulcani occurs in premontane and lower montane wet forests at elevations up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level.