It is endemic to the Espinhaço Mountains in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

[4] Crossodactylus trachystomus lives on the ground along permanent streams with sandy and rocky bottoms and bordered with grass and shrubs in montane savanna areas, and inside semideciduous Atlantic Forest.

Breeding takes place in streams where males call exposed on stones or from sandy margins.

[4] Habitat loss is occurring in the range of this species.

It occurs in the Serra do Cipó National Park.