The spadefoot toad is gray or olive green in color. The eyes are very large, golden yellow.  They have a bump between the eyes, giving the head a distinctive shape.  Spadefoots have a bumpy skin but are not quite as "warty" as Western Toads. The bumps, or tubercles, are small and dark brown or reddish in colour.   There are light-coloured stripes down the sides of the spadefoot's back, and the skin on the tummy is pale.

The most distinctive feature is the source of their name: the small, black "spade" on the first toe of each hind foot. This hardened tissue allows them to dig into loose soil for shelter.

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