On this page All 3 turtles When they are active If you see one About this list Sources
This page lists 3 turtles : all from DWR's Species tables for Utah's reptiles and amphibians.
2 are nonnative.
All 3 turtles From A to Z.
Photo: Cephas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized Chelydra serpentina
Nonnative
Size Upper shell usually 8 to 14 inches, occasionally to nearly 20; usually 10 to 35 lb, occasionally to 75 lb in the wild. How to recognize it Large head, long tail Saw-toothed scales on the long tail Small, cross-shaped lower shell Full Common snapping turtle guide
Photo: Wendy St. John · CC BY-SA 4.0 · iNaturalist · resized Gopherus agassizii
Size Shell 8 to 15 inches long and 4 to 6 inches high; adults weigh 8 to 15 pounds. How to recognize it Short tail, flattened front legs for digging, elephant-like hind legs and a high-domed shell Males have throat shields on the underside that extend out beneath the throat Conservation federally Threatened; Utah Species of Greatest Conservation Need (2025); prohibited species in Utah
J F M A M J J A S O N D
36 records by month. Full Mojave (or Mohave) desert tortoise guide
No confirmed photo of Red-eared slider or pond slider Red-eared slider or pond slider Trachemys scripta
Nonnative
When turtles are active in Utah Records of turtles in Utah peak in March to May and September. They show when people record turtles, not how many there are (about month bars ).
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
71 records of turtles in Utah by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records). If you see one Official advice from DWR:
Rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, desert tortoises, western (boreal) toads and Columbia spotted frogs must not be handled or tampered with. DWR Sources Who we are: About the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources . Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). page "Last updated: April 2, 2026"; checked November 3, 2026. Species tables for Utah's reptiles and amphibians . Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). page "Last updated: April 22, 2026"; checked November 3, 2026. Ask a herpetologist (DWR blog, Native Herpetology Coordinator) . Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Published June 14, 2023; checked November 3, 2026. Quoted passages (1) “Rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, desert tortoises, western (boreal) toads and Columbia spotted frogs are prohibited from being handled or tampered with in any way.” GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page. 
