Should I Worry About Rattlers??? (Denver, Colorado Springs: home, camping, living in)

[keithw1975]

We have been visiting Estes Park the past couple years during the last week or two of September for vacation with my wife and in-laws. My father-in-law always likes to hike up a 1,000 ft mountain called Eagles Cliff and this year I went with him. The elevation was about 7800 ft at the base and went up to around 8800 ft at the top. We went in the morning when it was still in the 50s and the night before it had been down to 34. All I could think about climbing up the rocky mountain was that it was ideal habitat for snakes and that I might encounter a rattlesnake on the very steep and rocky creek bed we followed up. My father-in-law said that in the 15 years he had hiked it he never had seen any snakes and didn't think they lived up that high. So what is the real deal? I am from MO so I don't know a whole lot about CO wildlife and have found conflicting info on the net. I am guessing the cold temps would slow them down but might also draw them out into the sun to warm up.

[Scott5280]

The area you are speaking of does not have rattle snakes..The elevation coupled with the local topography there are big factors(colder valley influence) .. Estes Park is not rattle snake habitat either situated above 7000 ft. so this also prevents any migratory behavior from lower associated breeding grounds. I have encountered snakes above 7,500 ft near Denver, but the terrain was much different and almost desert like with hotter and longer summer season and in addition South sloping, but even those sightings were somewhat of an anomaly.. The chances of seeing a rattle snake where you are hiking are about as likely as seeing a bear in downtown St Louis. If you want to see lots of rattle snakes stick to hiking the lower front range foothills..some places they are in abundance.

[Lupulin]

In all my hiking and climbing in Colorado over the past decade (literally thousands and thousands of miles), I've only come across one rattle snake. It was on the side of a trail climbing up to horse tooth (near Lory), just west of Fort Collins.

Just watch where you step. Chances are, you'll be just fine, especially if you take a popular path.

Honestly, you should be more concerned with hypothermia, lightning, and the threat of a heart attack, as those things kill many, many more people in the mountains.

[keithw1975]

Ok thanks guys.

I will have to admit heart attack doesn't surprise me. I am only 34 but I am 240 lbs and 6'. I was panting like crazy and stopped 2/3 of the way up because I was worried about pushing myself. Beautiful country though and the view is so rewarding.

[80skeys]

No that's not an ideal habitat for snakes. Rattlesnakes particularly western diamondbacks live at lower, warmer elevations (5,000) feet. Once the weather gets cold at the temperatures you mention, snakes hibernate anyway.

They say that there's timber rattlesnakes living in the mountains at higher elevations. Probably true but I've never seen one. I almost never see snakes up at those elevations, and on the rare occasion I do they are definitely not rattlesnakes.

[Brain Drain]

Saw a prairie rattler a few weeks ago on the north side of Boulder. It was coiled, rattling and ready to strike (me!). As I was with my two young children, we gave it a wide berth (I carried both of them!) and finally the rattling subsided as we passed. Scared the living daylights out of me! I grew up seeing western diamondback rattlers, but this huge rattler definitely threw me.

I've seen a couple of other snakes in the last two weeks -- one a garter snake and the other a 5 ft long unidentified banded snake that was not venomous. Any idea what it was?

The commonality with all sightings was: they were between 5000 and 6000 feet elevation and all were near streams or ditches. Snakes need to drink like the rest of us apparently.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Lupulin

In all my hiking and climbing in Colorado over the past decade (literally thousands and thousands of miles), I've only come across one rattle snake. It was on the side of a trail climbing up to horse tooth (near Lory), just west of Fort Collins.

Just watch where you step. Chances are, you'll be just fine, especially if you take a popular path.

Honestly, you should be more concerned with hypothermia, lightning, and the threat of a heart attack, as those things kill many, many more people in the mountains.

My daughter saw a rattler while running in Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

[Sandhillian]

I have spent a lot of time hiking and camping in the Estes Park area over the last 40 some years and only once have I seen a snake and it was not a rattler.

[Synergy1]

We have not noticed a rattle snake where we live in S FLorida but ew have Coral snakes, Cotton mouths and crocs. Funny thing about Coral snakes is that it is usually bite the gardener who weeds out their garden...Coral snakes do not make any warning sound and I think all people should know about all types of dangerous bugs, reptiles etc.

Oh. We also have the Brown Recluse spider. The Black Racer snake is very very fast and is not venemous but the spider is small and can put ya in a hospital... Good luck running and don't worry about the rattlers just respect them because a runner can invade their habitat so they will be on the offense mode...Crocs, on the other hand, have a pea brain and know one thing and that is to eat.........YIPES....

[NickMan7]

I have seen several rattlesnakes in the Denver area (one in front of our home a few years ago). Just be mindful, especially when you're in areas of high vegetation (i.e. urban/suburban open spaces). The young snake I saw on our street was quite aggressive and more than willing to strike anything that got too close. We just watched him until he slithered away back into the open space. Most rattlesnakes do not thrive above 7,000', but that's not to say they aren't there.. especially during a warm summer. Just pay attention as you would normally do anyway and you should stay safe.