Eurybia merita is present in much of northwestern North America. There are also a few isolated populations in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The primary distribution is from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, south as far as northern Utah and to Siskiyou County, California. It is found at heights ranging from 100 up to 3200 metres (330-10670 feet) in soils that range from mesic to dry. Open woods, rocky areas, clearings and recently burnt areas constitute its primary habitat. It may also be found along sandy, rocky or gravely creek banks. Within these habitats, it is most commonly associated with subalpine meadows and Douglas fir, lodgepole pine or spruce forests. While it is generally restricted to subalpine elevations in mountains, it is found at lower elevations in the north of its range.