Optimal habitats are open desert scrub, alkali desert scrub, and Joshua tree. Also feeds in annual grasslands. Forages on the ground or in shrubs and Joshua trees. Fruiting Joshua trees may attract concentrations of ground squirrels. This species caches food.
Uses burrows at the base of shrubs for cover.
Populations are reduced by urban development, off-road vehicle use, and agriculture. This diurnal ground squirrel is active above ground in the spring and early summer. Emergence dates vary from March to June, depending on elevation. Squirrels begin aestivation in July or August. Young are born from March to May with a peak in April.