Culms usually about twice as long as the vegetative shoot leaves. Spikelets 4.4–5.6(7) mm. Lemmas 3–4(4.5) mm, awns 2–3(3.2) mm. 2n = 28.
Festuca brachyphylla subsp. coloradensis is a common species in alpine areas of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico. It often grows with F. earlei, from which it can be distinguished by its lack of rhizomes, and smaller spikelets and lemmas.