The gray-tailed vole is known from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and at least two localities in Clark County, Washington. It is associated with farmland and builds extensive underground tunnels and burrows.
In summer, the back is light yellow-brown to yellow-gray and the underside is grayish white. The tail is brownish above and gray below. Black-tipped hairs darken the back in winter.
It is associated mainly with low-elevation farmland and builds intricate tunnels and burrows 15–30 cm below the surface. Fields also provide protection from predators and food.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.