Utah snakes: ID chart

28 snakes, 5 venomous (listed first). Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The 5 venomous snakes come first: Mojave (or Mohave) rattlesnake, Prairie rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Southwestern speckled rattlesnake, Western rattlesnake. The rest follow from A to Z, each with a photo where we have one and a short note on where it lives in Utah. The chart prints on letter or A4 paper; on screen, open any name on the Utah snakes page for photos, range and sources.

Mojave (or Mohave) rattlesnake

Crotalus scutulatus

Venomous

Extreme southwest corner of the state

Prairie rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

Venomous

Southeastern Utah

Sidewinder

Crotalus cerastes

Venomous

Extreme southwest corner of the state

No confirmed photo of Southwestern speckled rattlesnake

Southwestern speckled rattlesnake

Crotalus pyrrhus

Venomous

Extreme southwest corner of the state

Western rattlesnake

Crotalus oreganus

Venomous

Western and eastern Utah (Great Basin subspecies throughout much of western Utah; midget faded subspecies …

Arizona mountain kingsnake

Lampropeltis pyromelana

Not stated

Black-necked gartersnake

Thamnophis cyrtopsis

Non-venomous

California kingsnake

Lampropeltis californiae

Not stated

Coachwhip

Coluber flagellum

Not stated

Common gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Desert nightsnake

Hypsiglena chlorophaea

Not stated

Glossy snake

Arizona elegans

Not stated

Gopher snake

Pituophis catenifer

Non-venomous

Great Plains ratsnake

Pantherophis emoryi

Not stated

Long-nosed snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei

Not stated

North American racer

Coluber constrictor

Not stated

Northern rubber boa

Charina bottae

Non-venomous

Ring-necked snake

Diadophis punctatus

Not stated

No confirmed photo of Smith's black-headed snake

Smith's black-headed snake

Tantilla hobartsmithi

Not stated

Smooth green snake

Opheodrys vernalis

Not stated

Sonoran lyre snake

Trimorphodon lambda

Not stated

Spotted leaf-nosed snake

Phyllorhynchus decurtatus

Not stated

Striped whipsnake

Coluber taeniatus

Not stated

Terrestrial gartersnake

Thamnophis elegans

Non-venomous

Western groundsnake

Sonora semiannulata

Not stated

Western milk snake

Lampropeltis gentilis

Not stated

Western patch-nosed snake

Salvadora hexalepis

Not stated

Western threadsnake

Rena humilis

Not stated

A picture cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Never handle a wild animal. Sources: Species tables for Utah's reptiles and amphibians (DWR); Non-venomous Snakes (USU Extension Wildlife Damage Management Series NR/WD/007) (Utah State University Extension in cooperation with Utah DWR; hosted by Wild Aware Utah); How to avoid conflicts with rattlesnakes in Utah this spring and summer (news release) (DWR); Western Rattlesnake (Utah DWR Wildlife Notebook Series No. 22) (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR); hosted by Wild Aware Utah). stateswildlife.com/utah/snakes/