Commonly brownish in colour, this snake often has a yellow or orange stripe along the center of the back, and may have dark speckling. The head is hardly wider than the neck, the underside is often reddish, and the number of mid-body scale rows is typically 17 or less. This species is docile compared to the more vicious Terrestrial Gartersnake. The Northwestern Gartersnake inhabits dry areas such as meadows, forest edges, and dry forests. The diet is largely slugs and earthworms.