Ecoregion Maps
An ecoregion is an area where ecosystems, and the type, quality and quantity of environmental resources, are generally similar.
Plantmaps has interactive ecoregion maps for every US state and a profile of each EPA Level IV ecoregion,
so you can see which natural region you are in and what its landforms, soils and native vegetation are like.
- 49state maps
- 85Level III ecoregions
- 967Level IV ecoregion profiles
United States Ecoregion Maps by State
Maps of the EPA Level III and IV Ecoregions for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia:
85 Level III ecoregions divided into 967 Level IV ecoregions.
Each state map lists its ecoregions with the share of the state each one covers.
United States Level IV Ecoregions, Grouped by Level III Ecoregion
Open a Level III ecoregion to see the Level IV ecoregions within it. Each links to a profile with a boundary map and description.
1 Coast Range (15 Level IV)
2 Puget Lowland (9 Level IV)
3 Willamette Valley (4 Level IV)
4 Cascades (8 Level IV)
5 Sierra Nevada (15 Level IV)
6 Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains (44 Level IV)
7 Central California Valley (21 Level IV)
8 Southern California Mountains (7 Level IV)
9 Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills (20 Level IV)
10 Columbia Plateau (14 Level IV)
11 Blue Mountains (14 Level IV)
12 Snake River Plain (10 Level IV)
13 Central Basin and Range (31 Level IV)
14 Mojave Basin and Range (16 Level IV)
15 Northern Rockies (25 Level IV)
16 Idaho Batholith (11 Level IV)
17 Middle Rockies (41 Level IV)
18 Wyoming Basin (7 Level IV)
19 Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (7 Level IV)
20 Colorado Plateaus (9 Level IV)
21 Southern Rockies (10 Level IV)
22 Arizona/New Mexico Plateau (27 Level IV)
23 Arizona/New Mexico Mountains (12 Level IV)
24 Chihuahuan Deserts (8 Level IV)
25 High Plains (12 Level IV)
26 Southwestern Tablelands (17 Level IV)
27 Central Great Plains (18 Level IV)
28 Flint Hills (1 Level IV)
29 Cross Timbers (9 Level IV)
30 Edwards Plateau (4 Level IV)
31 Southern Texas Plains (4 Level IV)
32 Texas Blackland Prairies (3 Level IV)
33 East Central Texas Plains (6 Level IV)
34 Western Gulf Coastal Plain (10 Level IV)
35 South Central Plains (8 Level IV)
36 Ouachita Mountains (6 Level IV)
37 Arkansas Valley (5 Level IV)
38 Boston Mountains (2 Level IV)
39 Ozark Highlands (11 Level IV)
40 Central Irregular Plains (5 Level IV)
41 Canadian Rockies (5 Level IV)
42 Northwestern Glaciated Plains (18 Level IV)
43 Northwestern Great Plains (24 Level IV)
44 Nebraska Sand Hills (4 Level IV)
45 Piedmont (9 Level IV)
46 Northern Glaciated Plains (15 Level IV)
47 Western Corn Belt Plains (13 Level IV)
48 Lake Agassiz Plain (4 Level IV)
49 Northern Minnesota Wetlands (2 Level IV)
50 Northern Lakes and Forests (34 Level IV)
51 North Central Hardwood Forests (14 Level IV)
52 Driftless Area (3 Level IV)
53 Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains (4 Level IV)
54 Central Corn Belt Plains (7 Level IV)
55 Eastern Corn Belt Plains (6 Level IV)
56 Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains (7 Level IV)
57 Huron/Erie Lake Plains (5 Level IV)
58 Northeastern Highlands (33 Level IV)
59 Northeastern Coastal Zone (9 Level IV)
60 Northern Allegheny Plateau (6 Level IV)
61 Erie Drift Plain (4 Level IV)
62 North Central Appalachians (4 Level IV)
63 Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain (9 Level IV)
64 Northern Piedmont (7 Level IV)
65 Southeastern Plains (18 Level IV)
66 Blue Ridge (12 Level IV)
67 Ridge and Valley (13 Level IV)
68 Southwestern Appalachians (6 Level IV)
69 Central Appalachians (5 Level IV)
70 Western Allegheny Plateau (8 Level IV)
71 Interior Plateau (14 Level IV)
72 Interior River Valleys and Hills (13 Level IV)
73 Mississippi Alluvial Plain (15 Level IV)
74 Mississippi Valley Loess Plains (4 Level IV)
75 Southern Coastal Plain (12 Level IV)
76 Southern Florida Coastal Plain (4 Level IV)
77 North Cascades (9 Level IV)
78 Klamath Mountains/California High North Coast Range (18 Level IV)
79 Madrean Archipelago (5 Level IV)
80 Northern Basin and Range (13 Level IV)
81 Sonoran Basin and Range (15 Level IV)
82 Acadian Plains and Hills (8 Level IV)
83 Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands (6 Level IV)
84 Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens (4 Level IV)
85 Southern California/Northern Baja Coast (13 Level IV)
How Gardeners Use Ecoregion Maps
Ecoregions are a practical guide to native plants. Plants that grow naturally in your ecoregion are adapted to its soils,
rainfall and seasons, so they usually need less watering and care, and they support local pollinators and wildlife.
Native plant societies, nurseries and habitat restoration projects often recommend plants by ecoregion for this reason.
Use your ecoregion together with your plant hardiness zone
and frost dates: the zone and frost dates tell you what survives the cold and when to plant,
and the ecoregion tells you what belongs there naturally.
Ecoregion FAQ
What is an ecoregion?
An ecoregion is an area where ecosystems, and the type, quality and quantity of environmental resources, are generally similar. Ecoregion boundaries are drawn from patterns in geology, landforms, soils, vegetation, climate, land use, wildlife and hydrology together, rather than from any single factor.
What is the difference between Level III and Level IV ecoregions?
The EPA classifies ecoregions in four nested levels. Level I is the broadest and Level IV the most detailed. The contiguous United States has 85 Level III ecoregions, which are subdivided into 967 Level IV ecoregions. Level IV ecoregions are used for state and local planning, such as setting water quality standards or choosing plants for habitat restoration.
How are ecoregions different from plant hardiness zones?
A plant hardiness zone is based on a single measurement, the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature. An ecoregion combines climate with geology, soils, natural vegetation and landforms. Hardiness zones tell you which plants survive the winter; ecoregions show which plant communities naturally occur in an area, which is useful for choosing native plants.
How do I find my ecoregion?
Open the map for your state below, turn on the county lines from the layers menu if that helps you find your area, and click your location. Each Level IV ecoregion links to a profile with its boundary, area, and a description of its landforms, soils and vegetation.