Millions of people travel to national parks each year, and some visitors are understandably concerned about how many of these parks have a rattlesnake population.
Rattlesnakes can be found in 38 national parks, including most of the parks in the southern and central areas of the country. The largest number of rattlesnakes live in the southwestern states, and a few species are found in national parks as far north as the Dakotas.
Read on for more information about rattlesnakes and national parks.
Rattlesnakes in the National Parks
The majority of national parks in the continental United States are within the natural range of rattlesnakes. Out of the 33 different rattlesnake species, around 15 are found in the United States. Most of these are found in the southwestern part of the country, but Eastern rattlesnakes such as the timber rattlesnakes are numerous and widespread.
Rattlesnakes, like all other animals, are protected in the national parks. You cannot harass, chase, hurt, or kill these snakes. In fact, the best way to avoid getting hurt by venomous snakes is simply by leaving them alone. You are unlikely to be bitten by a rattlesnake, even in areas such as Arizona where they are abundant. In fact, only about 800 people are bitten by rattlesnakes each year.
The Role of Rattlesnakes in Nature
Predators, including rattlesnakes, form an essential part of a balanced ecosystem. They help keep their prey from becoming overpopulated and succumbing to diseases and starvation. Rattlesnakes also help protect humans from the effects of overpopulation of small animals including rodents.
Not only are rattlesnakes a vital part of the natural order as a predator, but they also form a part of the food chain themselves. Many animals predate rattlesnakes, especially young ones. Even adult rattlesnakes are eaten by animals such as coyotes and raptors.
Which National Parks Do Rattlesnakes Live In?
Rattlesnakes live in at least 38 national parks in the United States. Many of these are found in the southwest, such as the parks in Arizona, southern California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. However, most of the southeastern parks are also home to at least one species of rattlesnake. Here is a list of all 38 national parks where you may encounter a rattlesnake:
- Arches
- Big Bend
- Biscayne
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Bryce Canyon
- Canyonlands
- Capitol Reef
- Carlsbad Caverns
- Congaree
- Cuyahoga Valley
- Death Valley
- Everglades
- Grand Canyon
- Grand Teton
- Great Basin
- Great Sand Dunes
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Guadalupe Mountains
- Hot Springs
- Joshua Tree
- Kings Canyon
- Mammoth Cave
- Mesa Verde
- New River Gorge
- North Cascades
- North Cascades
- Petrified Forest
- Pinnacles
- Redwood
- Saguaro
- Sequoia
- Shenandoah
- Theodore Roosevelt
- White Sands
- Wind Cave
- Yellowstone
- Yosemite
- Zion
Which National Parks are Rattlesnake-Free?
There are 22 national parks in which you will not find a rattlesnake. If you are afraid of running across one of these venomous creatures on your adventures, or if you just dislike snakes in general, these may be the parks for you. Some states, such as Alaska and Hawaii, have no native rattlesnake population at all. Other parks are located in areas that are generally too cold for rattlesnakes, such as Rocky Mountian National Park, which is at a high elevation, and Acadia National Park, which is north of the normal range of these snakes. Here are the 22 parks where rattlesnakes don’t live:
- Acadia
- American Samoa
- Channel Islands
- Crater Lake
- Denali
- Dry Tortugas
- Gates of the Arctic
- Glacier Bay
- Glacier National Park
- Haleakala
- Hawaii Volcanoes
- Isle Royale
- Katmai
- Kenai Fjords
- Kobuk Valley
- Lake Clark
- Lassen Volcanic
- Mount Rainier
- Olympic National Park
- Virgin Islands
- Voyagers National Park
- Wrangell-St. Elias
How to Avoid Being Bit by Rattlesnakes
The best way to avoid being bitten by a venomous snake is by leaving them alone. The majority of people who are bitten are in some way or other harassing or trying to catch the snakes. Over a quarter of snake-bite victims have been drinking. Only around 10 people in the US die from snake bites each year, an incredibly low number compared with the number of people in the country.
However rare it is, there are still things you can do to prevent snakebites. When you are in a national park, remember that you are in a protected wildlife preserve and no animal can be killed, hurt, harassed, or chased. You are not even supposed to get near the wildlife in a national park because approaching an animal disturbs its normal routine and is considered harassment. If you follow these guidelines, you are very unlikely to be hurt.
In addition, you can further reduce your chances of a bite by watching where you place your feet while hiking or stepping out of vehicles and never placing your hands in holes or crevasses you can’t see inside. If you do see or hear a snake, simply step back away from it until it feels safe enough to leave on its own. Don’t run away or make loud noises that can frighten the snake and make it feel threatened.
