Known to occur from the Sea of Japan through the Kuril Islands to Kamchatka, through the Aleutian Islands and around Alaska to the Yukon and Northwest Territories (Canada) in the north and the northwestern United States in the South. The Dolly Varden and bull trout are very similar in characteristics and can generally be distinguished by their size and habitat. The Dolly Varden is usually a coastal species whereas the larger bull trout is more frequently found inland in large, cold rivers and lakes.