Stems 30-80 cm. Basal leaves 2-3×-ternately compound, 5-30 cm, much shorter than stems; leaflets to 8-20 mm, glaucous on both sides, not viscid; primary petiolules 17-34 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous. Flowers erect or nodding; sepals perpendicular to floral axis, pink, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, 10-18 × 5-7 mm, apex acute or acuminate; petals: spurs pink, straight, ± parallel, 14-27 mm, stout proximally, slender distally, evenly tapered from base, blades yellow or cream, oblong, 6-10 × 4-6 mm; stamens 11-16 mm. Follicles 18-25 mm; beak 8-12 mm.

Flowering summer (Jun-Jul). Cliff walls and talus slopes, usually on shale; 1500-2600 m; Colo., Utah.

Aquilegia barnebyi is endemic to the Green River drainage. It is very similar to A . micrantha , and intermediate plants are found in Colorado.