The vole is found in cool, moist mountain forest settings, but also among high summit rock outcrops and in upper elevation grassy meadows and heath balds (Whitaker and Hamilton 1998). The vole is considered by some authors to mainly inhabit conifer forests (Lee et al. 1982). However, Linzey and Linzey (1971) indicates a number of collection locations where northern hardwoods dominate. D.W. Pfitzer noted, from a survey in the Great Smoky Mountains NP, that three habitat types are used; very rocky talus slopes with no grass, open grassy areas, and one location where a specimen was taken in birch-beech forest (Linzey and Linzey 1971). Therefore, at mid and high-elevations in the southern Appalachians, the species may be more limited by the availability of suitable shelter than by forest type. High-mountain streams with varying amounts of surface rock are also noted as suitable habitat (Linzey and Linzey 1971).

It prefers retreats in boulder and talus fields or log-fall areas in shaded, moist to damp forest settings. Moss-covered rock piles and logs, rock crevices, and thick leaf litter among rocks appear to be preferred denning sites (Webster et al. 1985, Whitaker and Hamilton 1998). However, it also inhabits more open sites, such as mountain meadows and balds, where suitable rocky shelter is present. It also can be found in brush and slash piles of cutover areas.

NATURE SERVE GLOBAL HABITAT COMMENTS:

Cool, damp, coniferous and mixed forests at higher elevations in the Appalachians; mossy rocky areas throughout Canada. Optimal habitat: ferns/mossy debris near flowing water in coniferous forests. Also occupies deciduous forest/spruce clearcuts (mainly recent cuts), forest ecotones, grassy balds near forest, and sterile-looking rocky road fills. Occupies shallow burrows and runways. Nests probably are placed under logs or in similar protected sites. They are made of moss with a lining of grass and have multiple entrance tunnels. 'Sphagnum moss is frequently pulled off in clumps where rock voles are found...,' presumably for use in nest building (Martin 1971).

Although rock voles have been trapped in a variety of habitats, they typically occur in moist talus or among mossy rocks and logs in spruce and northern hardwood forests. Overstory is most commonly red spruce (PICEA RUBENS), often with birches (BETULA spp.), poplar and aspen (POPULUS spp.), other northern hardwoods, or fir (ABIES BALSAMEA). In the Appalachians, the forest is often birch, various other hardwoods and hemlock (TSUGA CANADENSIS). Ground cover characteristically includes an abundance of mosses, ferns, and northern herbs and subshrubs such as bunchberry (CORNUS CANADENSIS), blueberry (VACCINIUM spp.), Canada mayflower (MAIANTHEMUM CANADENSE), blue-bead lily (CLINTONIA BOREALIS), star-flower (TRIENTALIS BOREALIS), and Labrador tea (LEDUM GROENLANDICUM). Other habitats include unvegetated talus, grass balds, recent clearcuts, and roadfills, but these sites have dense vegetation nearby. There is usually a stream or other surface water in the immediate vicinity, but Martin (1971) speculated that fog intercepted by rocks and vegetation may be an important source of drinking water in some localities, such as coastal Labrador. Moist situations are clearly favored, as are higher elevations.

Martin (1971) thought that records from atypical habitat may represent expansion of populations under favorable conditions. These might also be dispersing individuals.