Snakes in Colorado

Colorado is geographically diverse, with grasslands or prairies in the eastern part, deserts and shrub lands in the western region, and mountainous terrain from north to south and the center.

Hence, it is evident that the state has a fair number of snake populations, around 40, with just three venomous species. The venomous species mainly inhabit the prairies, shrublands, grasslands, and forest areas.

The snakes of Colorado mostly hibernate through the winter months. As per the Colorado Parks and Wildlife records, rattlesnakes hibernate between October 20 and March 20.

The Bullsnake, measuring 88 inches, is Colorado’s largest, while the blind snake is the state’s smallest.

Group	Venomous	Non-venomous
Rattlesnakes	Prairie Rattlesnake Midget Rattlesnake	–
Pit Vipers	Western Massasauga	–
Garter Snakes	–	Plains Garter Snake Blackneck Garter Snake Common Garter Snake Western Terrestrial Garter Snake Western Ribbon Snake
Whip Snakes	–	Striped Whipsnake Coachwhip
Hognose Snakes	–	Western Hognose Snake
Water Snakes	–	Common Watersnake
Kingsnakes	–	Common Kingsnake Central Plains Milk Snake
Ground Snakes	–	Variable Ground Snake
Rat Snakes	–	Great Plains Rat Snake
Diadophis	–	Ring-necked Snake Prairie Ringneck Snake
Opheodrys	–	Smooth Green Snake
Hypsiglena	–	Night Snake Desert Nightsnake Chihuahuan Nightsnake
Rhinocheilus	–	Long-nosed Snake
Tantilla	–	Plains Black-headed Snake Southwestern Black-headed Snake Smith’s Black-headed Snake
Arizona	–	Glossy Snake
Rena	–	Texas Blindsnake
Tropidoclonion		Lined Snake
Pituophis		Bull Snake Great Basin Gophersnake
Coluber	–	Eastern-bellied Yellow Racer Western-bellied Yellow Racer
Leptotyphlops	–	New Mexico Thread Snake