Ute ladies'-tresses is a perennial herb with erect, glandular-pubescent stems 12-60 cm tall arising from tuberous-thickened roots. Basal leaves are narrowly linear, up to 1 cm wide and 28 cm long, and persist at the time of flowering. Leaves become progressively smaller up the stem and are alternate. The plant has a 3-15 cm long spike of numerous small white or ivory-colored flowers arranged in a gradual spiral. Individual flowers are 7.5-15 mm long and faintly fragrant (with a vanilla-like scent). Fruits of Ute ladies'-tresses are cylindrical capsules with numerous seeds. The species occurs in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.