Umbilicaria maculata grows on the vertical faces of siliceous rocks in alpine and subnival habitats, preferring locations that are shaded and exposed to wind. Originally known from only a few location in the Tatra Mountains, it has since been reported from Uvernet-Fours in southeastern France, where it was found on the vertical faces of large blocks of Annot sandstone, at an elevation of . The authors call the lichen "extremely rare", but acknowledge that its true distribution is not well understood because of potential confusion with the lookalike Umbilicaria cylindrica.
