diff --git a/bin/spack-tmpconfig b/bin/spack-tmpconfig
index a3d053d340..a477daa4d3 100755
--- a/bin/spack-tmpconfig
+++ b/bin/spack-tmpconfig
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ config:
     root: $TMP_DIR/install
   misc_cache: $$user_cache_path/cache
   source_cache: $$user_cache_path/source
+  environments_root: $TMP_DIR/envs
 EOF
 cat >"$SPACK_USER_CONFIG_PATH/bootstrap.yaml" <<EOF
 bootstrap:
diff --git a/etc/spack/defaults/config.yaml b/etc/spack/defaults/config.yaml
index 06d6a10909..43f8a98dff 100644
--- a/etc/spack/defaults/config.yaml
+++ b/etc/spack/defaults/config.yaml
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ config:
   source_cache: $spack/var/spack/cache
 
 
+  ## Directory where spack managed environments are created and stored
+  # environments_root: $spack/var/spack/environments
+
+
   # Cache directory for miscellaneous files, like the package index.
   # This can be purged with `spack clean --misc-cache`
   misc_cache: $user_cache_path/cache
diff --git a/lib/spack/docs/environments.rst b/lib/spack/docs/environments.rst
index 09d8f07af1..e2805e4f01 100644
--- a/lib/spack/docs/environments.rst
+++ b/lib/spack/docs/environments.rst
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ Using Environments
 Here we follow a typical use case of creating, concretizing,
 installing and loading an environment.
 
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-Creating a named Environment
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+Creating a managed Environment
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 An environment is created by:
 
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ Spack then creates the directory ``var/spack/environments/myenv``.
 
 .. note::
 
-   All named environments are stored in the ``var/spack/environments`` folder.
+   All managed environments by default are stored in the ``var/spack/environments`` folder.
+   This location can be changed by setting the ``environments_root`` variable in ``config.yaml``.
 
 In the ``var/spack/environments/myenv`` directory, Spack creates the
 file ``spack.yaml`` and the hidden directory ``.spack-env``.
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/env.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/env.py
index fe7d1ad59a..085757ca0f 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/env.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/env.py
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ def env_activate(args):
         short_name = os.path.basename(env_path)
         ev.Environment(env).write(regenerate=False)
 
-    # Named environment
+    # Managed environment
     elif ev.exists(env_name_or_dir) and not args.dir:
         env_path = ev.root(env_name_or_dir)
         short_name = env_name_or_dir
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/location.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/location.py
index 7cce744ca7..aba8264a28 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/location.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/location.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def location(parser, args):
             spack.cmd.require_active_env("location -e")
             path = ev.active_environment().path
         else:
-            # Get named environment path
+            # Get path of requested environment
             if not ev.exists(args.location_env):
                 tty.die("no such environment: '%s'" % args.location_env)
             path = ev.root(args.location_env)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py b/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
index 813ffca0b6..cabb255e23 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@
 _active_environment = None
 
 
-#: path where environments are stored in the spack tree
-env_path = os.path.join(spack.paths.var_path, "environments")
+#: default path where environments are stored in the spack tree
+default_env_path = os.path.join(spack.paths.var_path, "environments")
 
 
 #: Name of the input yaml file for an environment
@@ -78,6 +78,26 @@
 env_subdir_name = ".spack-env"
 
 
+def env_root_path():
+    """Override default root path if the user specified it"""
+    return spack.util.path.canonicalize_path(
+        spack.config.get("config:environments_root", default=default_env_path)
+    )
+
+
+def check_disallowed_env_config_mods(scopes):
+    for scope in scopes:
+        with spack.config.use_configuration(scope):
+            if spack.config.get("config:environments_root"):
+                raise SpackEnvironmentError(
+                    "Spack environments are prohibited from modifying 'config:environments_root' "
+                    "because it can make the definition of the environment ill-posed. Please "
+                    "remove from your environment and place it in a permanent scope such as "
+                    "defaults, system, site, etc."
+                )
+    return scopes
+
+
 def default_manifest_yaml():
     """default spack.yaml file to put in new environments"""
     return """\
@@ -214,7 +234,7 @@ def active_environment():
 
 def _root(name):
     """Non-validating version of root(), to be used internally."""
-    return os.path.join(env_path, name)
+    return os.path.join(env_root_path(), name)
 
 
 def root(name):
@@ -249,10 +269,12 @@ def read(name):
 
 
 def create(name, init_file=None, with_view=None, keep_relative=False):
-    """Create a named environment in Spack."""
+    """Create a managed environment in Spack."""
+    if not os.path.isdir(env_root_path()):
+        fs.mkdirp(env_root_path())
     validate_env_name(name)
     if exists(name):
-        raise SpackEnvironmentError("'%s': environment already exists" % name)
+        raise SpackEnvironmentError("'%s': environment already exists at %s" % (name, root(name)))
     return Environment(root(name), init_file, with_view, keep_relative)
 
 
@@ -266,10 +288,10 @@ def all_environment_names():
     """List the names of environments that currently exist."""
     # just return empty if the env path does not exist.  A read-only
     # operation like list should not try to create a directory.
-    if not os.path.exists(env_path):
+    if not os.path.exists(env_root_path()):
         return []
 
-    candidates = sorted(os.listdir(env_path))
+    candidates = sorted(os.listdir(env_root_path()))
     names = []
     for candidate in candidates:
         yaml_path = os.path.join(_root(candidate), manifest_name)
@@ -279,7 +301,7 @@ def all_environment_names():
 
 
 def all_environments():
-    """Generator for all named Environments."""
+    """Generator for all managed Environments."""
     for name in all_environment_names():
         yield read(name)
 
@@ -859,14 +881,14 @@ def clear(self, re_read=False):
     @property
     def internal(self):
         """Whether this environment is managed by Spack."""
-        return self.path.startswith(env_path)
+        return self.path.startswith(env_root_path())
 
     @property
     def name(self):
         """Human-readable representation of the environment.
 
         This is the path for directory environments, and just the name
-        for named environments.
+        for managed environments.
         """
         if self.internal:
             return os.path.basename(self.path)
@@ -1044,7 +1066,9 @@ def env_file_config_scope(self):
 
     def config_scopes(self):
         """A list of all configuration scopes for this environment."""
-        return self.included_config_scopes() + [self.env_file_config_scope()]
+        return check_disallowed_env_config_mods(
+            self.included_config_scopes() + [self.env_file_config_scope()]
+        )
 
     def destroy(self):
         """Remove this environment from Spack entirely."""
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/main.py b/lib/spack/spack/main.py
index 06183ac112..ae6bed7fd0 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/main.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/main.py
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ def make_argument_parser(**kwargs):
         dest="env_dir",
         metavar="DIR",
         action="store",
-        help="run with an environment directory (ignore named environments)",
+        help="run with an environment directory (ignore managed environments)",
     )
     env_group.add_argument(
         "-E",
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/schema/config.py b/lib/spack/spack/schema/config.py
index 7ecd1ad627..abe207cac0 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/schema/config.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/schema/config.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
             "license_dir": {"type": "string"},
             "source_cache": {"type": "string"},
             "misc_cache": {"type": "string"},
+            "environments_root": {"type": "string"},
             "connect_timeout": {"type": "integer", "minimum": 0},
             "verify_ssl": {"type": "boolean"},
             "suppress_gpg_warnings": {"type": "boolean"},
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/concretize.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/concretize.py
index 08a19162f9..868da6df61 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/concretize.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/concretize.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@
 import spack.environment as ev
 from spack.main import SpackCommand
 
-# everything here uses the mock_env_path
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.usefixtures("mutable_mock_env_path", "config", "mutable_mock_repo")
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.usefixtures("config", "mutable_mock_repo")
 
 env = SpackCommand("env")
 add = SpackCommand("add")
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("unify", unification_strategies)
-def test_concretize_all_test_dependencies(unify):
+def test_concretize_all_test_dependencies(unify, mutable_mock_env_path):
     """Check all test dependencies are concretized."""
     env("create", "test")
 
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ def test_concretize_all_test_dependencies(unify):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("unify", unification_strategies)
-def test_concretize_root_test_dependencies_not_recursive(unify):
+def test_concretize_root_test_dependencies_not_recursive(unify, mutable_mock_env_path):
     """Check that test dependencies are not concretized recursively."""
     env("create", "test")
 
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ def test_concretize_root_test_dependencies_not_recursive(unify):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("unify", unification_strategies)
-def test_concretize_root_test_dependencies_are_concretized(unify):
+def test_concretize_root_test_dependencies_are_concretized(unify, mutable_mock_env_path):
     """Check that root test dependencies are concretized."""
     env("create", "test")
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
index e757384b8f..ce7862cd12 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/env.py
@@ -3222,3 +3222,20 @@ def test_relative_view_path_on_command_line_is_made_absolute(tmpdir, config):
         env("create", "--with-view", "view", "--dir", "env")
         environment = ev.Environment(os.path.join(".", "env"))
         assert os.path.samefile("view", environment.default_view.root)
+
+
+def test_environment_created_in_users_location(mutable_config, tmpdir):
+    """Test that an environment is created in a location based on the config"""
+    spack.config.set("config:environments_root", str(tmpdir.join("envs")))
+    env_dir = spack.config.get("config:environments_root")
+
+    assert tmpdir.strpath in env_dir
+    assert not os.path.isdir(env_dir)
+
+    dir_name = "user_env"
+    env("create", dir_name)
+    out = env("list")
+
+    assert dir_name in out
+    assert env_dir in ev.root(dir_name)
+    assert os.path.isdir(os.path.join(env_dir, dir_name))
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
index a4b6410ef8..50bdf63d46 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/cmd/uninstall.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ class TestUninstallFromEnv(object):
     concretize = SpackCommand("concretize")
     find = SpackCommand("find")
 
-    @pytest.fixture
+    @pytest.fixture(scope="function")
     def environment_setup(
         self, mutable_mock_env_path, config, mock_packages, mutable_database, install_mockery
     ):
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ def environment_setup(
             TestUninstallFromEnv.add("diamond-link-bottom")
             TestUninstallFromEnv.concretize()
             install("--fake")
+        yield "environment_setup"
+        TestUninstallFromEnv.env("rm", "e1", "-y")
+        TestUninstallFromEnv.env("rm", "e2", "-y")
 
     def test_basic_env_sanity(self, environment_setup):
         for env_name in ["e1", "e2"]:
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
index 9a7b3a6a9a..b32ea4b4f8 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/conftest.py
@@ -1535,14 +1535,14 @@ def get_rev():
     yield t
 
 
-@pytest.fixture()
-def mutable_mock_env_path(tmpdir_factory):
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def mutable_mock_env_path(tmpdir_factory, mutable_config):
     """Fixture for mocking the internal spack environments directory."""
-    saved_path = ev.environment.env_path
+    saved_path = ev.environment.default_env_path
     mock_path = tmpdir_factory.mktemp("mock-env-path")
-    ev.environment.env_path = str(mock_path)
+    ev.environment.default_env_path = str(mock_path)
     yield mock_path
-    ev.environment.env_path = saved_path
+    ev.environment.default_env_path = saved_path
 
 
 @pytest.fixture()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
index 83538e7d71..8614a92813 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/env.py
@@ -143,3 +143,21 @@ def test_user_view_path_is_not_canonicalized_in_yaml(tmpdir, config):
         snd = ev.Environment(env_path)
         assert snd.yaml["spack"]["view"] == view
         assert os.path.samefile(snd.default_view.root, absolute_view)
+
+
+def test_environment_cant_modify_environments_root(tmpdir):
+    filename = str(tmpdir.join("spack.yaml"))
+    with open(filename, "w") as f:
+        f.write(
+            """\
+ spack:
+   config:
+     environments_root: /a/black/hole
+   view: false
+   specs: []
+ """
+        )
+    with tmpdir.as_cwd():
+        with pytest.raises(ev.SpackEnvironmentError):
+            e = ev.Environment(tmpdir.strpath)
+            ev.activate(e)