The Reptiles and Amphibians of Utah

Description: Brown, gray, or olive base color. The pattern can range from many well-defined dark blotches and/or spots to very few. A well-defined light vertebral stripe is usually present. Females generally have more pattern, more “warts”, and a more prominent vertebral stripe. The underside is usually cream-colored with dark spots. The parotoid glands are oval-shaped and there are no cranial crests. 

Call: A soft high pitched repeated “peeping” or “chirping”. This toad lacks a vocal sac.

Size: A medium-sized toad averaging 4 to 5 inches in length. 

Range and Habitat: This toad occurs from Northern Utah to Southern Utah along the central spine and through the Uinta Mountains. It inhabits streams, ponds, lakes, marshes, and wet meadows. It is typically found in higher-elevation montane or sagebrush steppe habitat. It is most commonly encountered between 6,000 to over 10,000 feet in elevation.  

Similar Species: The Woodhouse’s Toad has cranial crests.