Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus fendleri var kuenzleri) is an endangered species thought to be endemic to south central New Mexico on the eastern slopes of the Sacramento, Capitan, and Guadalupe Mountains. We studied macro- and micro-habitat characteristics of Kuenzler's cactus in four study areas in Lincoln and Eddy Counties, New Mexico. Plants were found mostly on southern and eastern aspects at elevations from 1600 to 2100 m and on slopes ranging from 7 to 41°. Herbaceous biomass and foliar cover were similar at three spatial scales (concentric circles with diameters of 30, 56, and 110 cm) surrounding plants. These results suggest that Kuenzler's cacti are randomly distributed with respect to these habitat features, and do not support the hypothesis that Kuenzler's cacti grow in local habitats where associated vegetation provides thermal protection.