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A medium-size (approximately 3.0-3.3 cm wingspan) dull powdery grey and pale ochre brown moth with obscure markings. There is an ochre basal streak with a prominent short black dash along the lower edge. The median part of the wing in particular has a mix of ochre scales with the grey. The AM and PM lines are narrow, poorly and only partially marked in black scales, except for a short section of the lower PM line, which is thicker and more prominent. The orbicular (large) and reniform are partially outlined with black scales. The area beyond the subterminal line is lighter, with patches of pale ochre and white, especially near the apex. Thin, broken black terminal line. The fringe is pale buff or dirty white, lightly checkered with dark between the veins. The hindwings are dirty white, dusted with grey scales, which increase to form a dark terminal band and faint discal mark. Narrow broken black terminal line and white fringe. A report of E. melanographa from Alberta (Bowman, 1951) was apparently based on mis-identified obscurus (fide J. D. Lafontaine).

Epidemas obscurus occurs from at least Oregon north to southern BC, east to western Montana and the Saskatchewan-Alberta border. In Alberta it has been collected along the lower South Saskatchewan River, from the Medicine Hat area and near the Saskatchewan border.