Venomous snakes in Utah
Venomous snakes living in Utah
4species, plus 2 with rare records
Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake, Speckled rattlesnake. A bite from any of these is a medical emergency.
How to recognize them
Western rattlesnakeDangerous689 records, 25 counties
SidewinderDangerous30 records, 1 county
Mojave rattlesnakeDangerous4 records, 2 counties
Speckled rattlesnakeDangerous2 records, 1 county
Western rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus
- Brown, gray or olive with darker blotches down the back
- Blotches turn to bands toward the rattle
- Pale line from behind the eye to the jaw
Sidewinder Crotalus cerastes
- Small rattlesnake with a raised horn-like scale over each eye
- Pale sand color with faint blotches
- Moves sideways and leaves J-shaped tracks
Mojave rattlesnake Crotalus scutulatus
- Greenish to tan with diamonds that have clean pale edges
- White tail bands wider than the black ones
- Pale stripe behind the eye ends above the corner of the mouth
Speckled rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii
- Speckled, granite-like look that matches the local rock
- Color runs from cream to pink, gray or brown
- Faint bands, sharper near the tail
Every venomous snake species known from the US is on this site.
Counties with records
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Active months
Rare records
- Rare records Western diamondback rattlesnake 3 open records, latest 2005
- Rare records Western massasauga 1 open record
Harmless snakes people mistake for them
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless
Quick answers
Questions
How many venomous snakes are in Utah?
4 species live in the state: Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake and Speckled rattlesnake.
Which venomous snakes in Utah are dangerous?
Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake and Speckled rattlesnake: a bite is a medical emergency.
When are venomous snakes most active in Utah?
Most open records fall in May to July.
Which harmless snakes get mistaken for venomous ones in Utah?
Gopher snake. See the side-by-side comparisons below.