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A medium-size (3.0-3.4 cm wingspan) dark brown moth with black markings. The prothoracic collar has several narrow dark and light bands. The forewings are dark chocolate or blackish brown., with doubled black basal and antemedian lines and a single, scalloped PM line. The area proximal to and between the orbicular and reniform is black, and the reniform is incompletely lined inside with yellow-brown scales. The subterminal line is obscure, incompletely lined distally with contrasting yellow-brown scales. The terminal area and fringe are dark brown. Most of the markings stand out poorly against the dark ground. The hindwings are sooty brown, darker toward the margin and in females, with a dark discal bar and brown fringes. Very similar to dark brown specimens of E. declarata, which are slightly larger and paler. The hindwings of declarata males in particular are lighter and have dirty white or very light brown fringes. There are also minor differences in the genitalia (see Lafontaine, 1987) Euxoa campestris belongs to the subgenus Euxoa, characterized mainly by the shape of the vesica in males. Keys to the subgenera and species are provided in Lafontaine, 1987.

From Newfoundland west across the boreal forest to Alaska, south in the east to northern New England and southern Canada west to southern British Columbia; south in the mountains to New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. In Alberta, it has been collected mainly in the southern boreal forest and parklands regions, from the Red Deer River (Tolman Bridge) north to Fort McMurray; apparently rare or absent in the foothills and mountains.