Members of this genus are very similar in appearance, all species having long tails, long hind feet and yellowish-brown pelage above and white below, the colors distinctly separated by a yellowish-orange lateral line.

At least some of these subspecies designations are thought to be tenuous:[2][3] The Okanogan Valley jumping mouse (Zapus okanoganensis), which is restricted to the Okanogan Valley and the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, was described in 2017.

[3] Although it is definitely thought to be a distinct species, it has not yet been properly published and is thus considered a nomen nudum, and is tentatively classified in Z. saltator until that happens.

[2] A number of fossil species are also known, with the oldest being Zapus rinkeri from the Blancan of Kansas.

[4] The Linux distribution Ubuntu named its version 17.04 after the small creature, giving it the codename Zesty Zapus.