Culms 60-140 cm. Basal sheaths conspicuously hairy; blades open to involute, abaxial surfaces conspicuously hairy, adaxial surfaces evenly strigillose to strigose. Spikes with 1-2 spikelets at the central nodes, usually 1 at the distal nodes. 2n = 28.

Leymus salina subsp. salmonis grows at scattered locations on rocky hillsides in the mountains of southern Idaho, Nevada, and western Utah.