Astragalus schmolliae is endemic to a restricted area in the Montezuma County, Colorado. The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO = 50 km²) meets the threshold for a threatened category, the species is known to occur in only one location and even though at present it appears to be fairly common on the mesa tops habitat, there are several ongoing threats such as invasion of alien exotics plants in burned areas, drought, insects, infrastructure and construction that might lead to population decline in the near future, therefore the species is of high conservation concern. There is estimated to have been a 30-50% population reduction in the past ten years. The species is assessed as Critically Endangered.

Astragalus schmolliae is endemic to Colorado (US), occurring only in Montezuma County. It is known to grow in the Chapin Mesa in Mesa Verde National Park and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation.

Population size has been estimated to be 294,499 individuals in Mesa Verde National Park (Anderson 2004). Large numbers of individuals are likely to occur on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation but this area has not been surveyed. There are six principal occurrences documented in the Colorado Natural Heritage Program database. Two of the six occurrences have not been observed in over 20 years. The occurrences are all in the vicinity of Chapin Mesa in Mesa Verde National Park and the adjacent Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. A population decline of 39% has been estimated as a result of a severe drought in 2002. Additionally, two recent fires have impacted a large portion of the known population of A. schmolliae in Mesa Verde National Park; the Chapin 5 fire in 1996, and the Long Mesa Fire in 2002. Statistical analysis by Anderson (2004), suggests that burning did not significantly impact plant mortality, but long term impacts of fire (i.e., weed invasion) are likely to cause a decline. NatureServe (2009) estimated a population decline of 30-50% in the last 10 years or 3 generations for this species.

A. schmolliae is a perennial herb which grows in sandy and gravelly flats, terraces and on mesa-tops and mesa terraces, among Juniper and Pinyon Pine, on sandstone loess soils.

The primary threat to the species is the invasion of weeds into burned areas which are occupied by A. schmolliae (Anderson 2004). Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) is particularly invasive in burned areas of southern Mesa Verde National Park (MVNP), and has been observed invading areas occupied by A. schmolliae. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is also invading burned areas occupied by A. schmolliae. Visitor impacts to A. schmolliae within Mesa Verde National Park are localized and minimal, limited to trampling of an occasional plant growing adjacent to a trail or road (Anderson 2004). Drought, grazing, insects (such as aphid infestations and butterfly larvae), infrastructure and construction are threats to the species as well.

The main species' distribution range currently falls within the boundaries of the Mesa Verde National Park. Samples of seeds of this species have been collected for ex situ conservation and are currently being held at the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado. The species has been assessed as Critically Imperiled (G1) from NatureServe (2009), which is equivalent to IUCN category Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR).