Quaking aspen is the most widely distributed tree in North America.
It occurs from Newfoundland west to Alaska and south to Virginia, Missouri, Nebraska, and northern Mexico. Quaking aspen is distributed fairly continuously in the East. Distribution is patchy in the West, with trees confined to suitable sites. Quaking aspen is a major cover type in North America. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Utah, quaking aspen occupies more land than any other forest type.