Rattlesnake Warning: What Hikers in Western Colorado Should Know

Western Slope rattlesnakes tend to become active in Colorado by late March or early April. Have you encountered rattlesnakes on hiking trails near Grand Junction or Montrose? Hit the chat button on our station app to tell us where.

Rising temperatures and snowmelt signal to rattlesnakes that it is time to start moving. Keep reading to learn ways to avoid rattlesnakes on Western Colorado trails, and which trails are prone to these snakes.

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Rattlesnake Safety While Hiking

Photo by Zach Savinar on Unsplash

One of the best ways to avoid rattlesnakes on the Western Slope is to stick to trails with clear and wide walking paths. Wandering off into tall grass and brush increases the risk of encountering a rattlesnake. Placing hands and feet in areas you can't see is a great way to be surprised by a rattlesnake. The same caution goes for dogs.

Known Rattlesnake-Prone Trails in Grand Junction

Photo by Philip White on Unsplash

🐍 Lunch Loops / Tabeguache Trails (Grand Junction)
⚠ Rattlesnakes love rocky, sun-exposed terrain and high desert.
👀 Keep a watchful eye out near rocky ledges in the area of the Gunny Loop and Holy Cross sections of these trails.

🐍 Devils Canyon (Fruita)
⚠ Rattlesnakes love these canyon trails because there are lots of rocky outcroppings and the area is soaked in sunshine.
👀 Keep a watchful eye on shaded and brushy portions of these trails, and anywhere you see loose rock.

🐍 Dominguez Canyon Wilderness (Bridgeport Trailhead south of Whitewater)
⚠ These canyons are loaded with desert brush and rock piles, which snakes love
👀 Snakes on this trail are usually spotted along the Gunnison River corridor

🐍 Bang’s Canyon Area (south of Grand Junction)
⚠ The rocky terrain on BLM land is a habitat that snakes and desert wildlife love.
👀 Rattlesnakes can be found near trail junctions and the narrow rock slots south of Grand Junction

Known Rattlesnake-Prone Trails in Montrose

🐍 Dry Creek Area Trails (near Montrose)
⚠ Rattlensakes in the Montrose area love the open-space trails at lower elevations, full of brush and sage.
👀 Be careful during the early morning and late afternoon hours in the Dry Creek area, as snakes are often on the move here during the summer.

Photo by Ana Noelle on Unsplash

LOOK: Colorado Snakes + Reptiles You Can Keep as Pets

If you'd like to capture a snake, reptile, or turtle in Colorado, it's completely legal -- with a few rules to follow.

Up to four individuals can be harvested and kept in captivity as long as there are no more than 12 total across all of the species.

As long as there hasn't been any contact with species from different geographical locations, these animals may be returned to the wild no more than 10 miles from where they've been taken.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

MORE: 9 Slithering Snakes You May Encounter While Outdoors in Colorado

Welcome to Colorful Colorado, home to about thirty different species of slithering snakes. They are not the first thing we all think of when we imagine Colorado, but both venomous and non-venomous snakes live all over our state. Keep going to see nine of the most common ones you could run into.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

UP NEXT: Beware of the 12 Most Dangerous Animals in Colorado

Keep an eye out for the following 12 dangerous animals in Colorado. While these creatures usually go out of their way to avoid you, if you encounter one you will want to give it plenty of space. Scroll on to see each one and find out why they make the cut of the most dangerous animals in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

Source: Rattlesnake Warning: What Hikers in Western Colorado Should Know