In North America, it is found along the Pacific coast and adjacent areas, specifically in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho.

[6] The species shows a strong preference for humid, coastal environments and typically grows at low to moderate elevations, generally from sea level to about 500 m (1,600 ft).

These habitats include coastal islands and their adjacent mainland areas, ravines and river systems (particularly near pools), swampy margins of lakes, and raised bogs where it grows in peaty, waterlogged soil.

[6] Hookeria lucens grows in wet evergreen woodlands, showing a particular affinity for forests dominated by alder (Alnus), Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis), western hemlock (Tsuga), coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and Sitka spruce.

Its preference for these consistently moist, often shaded environments reflects its need for high humidity and protection from direct sunlight, conditions typical of the Pacific Northwest's temperate rainforest ecosystems.

The timing of its reproductive cycle appears to be coordinated with the wet seasons of its habitat, with spore-containing capsules typically maturing from late fall through spring, coinciding with the Pacific Northwest's rainiest period.