As temperatures heat up all around the Beehive State, hibernating animals start to emerge from their dens, including rattlesnakes. Utah is home to seven species of venomous snakes, and you’ll want to watch your step to avoid stumbling onto one.

All across Utah, humans are emerging from their homes to hit the trails, and rattlesnakes are emerging from hibernation. When you think of snakes, Southern Utah might come to mind...
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...but you'll find snakes in most parts of the state. They're typically found in the foothills, but can live at elevations as high as 9,000 feet.
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The most common rattlesnake here in Utah is the Great Basin Rattlesnake. Adults grow to 3-4 feet long, and have a distinctive dark grey pattern on their backs. While they look very similar to the harmless gopher snake, rattlers have a distinctive, triangular-shaped head.
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Other species of rattlesnakes found in Utah include sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake, speckled rattlesnake, western rattlesnake, Hopi rattlesnake, and midget faded rattlesnake (shown here).
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If you encounter a rattlesnake on a trail, you'll often hear it before you see it. Most of the time, snakes will coil up and shake their rattles to warn you to stay away...
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...but sometimes, they'll curl up and hide, like this one found on Grandeur Peak along the trail. Rattlesnakes don't attack humans - when they strike, it's to protect themselves from danger, and humans seem pretty dangerous to them.
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Most people who are bitten by rattlesnakes accidentally step on them or put their hands on a rocky ledge where a snake is basking in the midday sun.
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Avoid snakebites by watching your step, and don't ever put your hands on a rock you can't see.
Snakebites can be deadly, but only about 1 in 500 people die from them. If you're bitten, seek medical treatment quickly.
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If you're bitten on the hand or arm, remove your watch and any rings in case your hand swells. Don't cut the wound to suck the venom out, and don't apply a tourniquet - neither of these old-school methods are useful, and might do more harm than good. Stay calm, and get yourself to a hospital as soon as possible.
As many as half the reported rattlesnake bites in Utah occur when someone is trying to kill the snake. While we might be afraid of these venomous creatures, it's illegal to kill them, and for good reason. They keep rodent populations in check and are an important part of the ecosystem.
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If a snake bites you, don't worry about trying to kill the snake so it can be identified! The anti-venom that's administered at the hospital covers all the types of venomous snakes here in Utah, along with those found in other states as well.
Utah's rattlesnakes are fascinating creatures that most of us would like to avoid. If you see one in the wild, step away and leave it alone.
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Rattlesnakes can only strike half as far as their body length, so as long as you stay several feet away, you'll be perfectly safe.

How do you feel about rattlesnakes? Are you afraid of them, or do you respect their place in Utah’s wild habitat? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments!

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