It is endemic to the Lost Coast in northern California, where it grows in the forests and scrub on the coastline.

Calamagrostis foliosa is perennial bunchgrass, producing a tuft of stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall.

The leaves are mostly located about the base of the stems.

The inflorescence is a dense, narrow sheaf of spikelets up to 12 centimeters long.

The fruit of each spikelet is tipped with a bent awn.