The California treefrog has a wide, but patchy, distribution along rocky, mountain streams of coastal southern California from central San Luis Obispo Co. south to the Mexican border. An interior range extension to the western edge of the desert occurs in San Bernardino and Riverside cos. It may be common in quiet, shaded pools and other favored habitats.
Tadpoles probably filter, or graze, on algae and diatoms.
They will jump into the water to avoid capture, but quickly emerge on shore boulders or other objects protruding above the water's surface. During the spring and summer activity period, adults are always found in the immediate vicinity of deep pools along stream courses. Populations are also known from a few desert palm oases. During spring and summer, individuals may be active at all hours, but concentrate most activity between late afternoon and midnight. They are inactive from late fall through winter.