The Most Snake-Infested Rivers in Washington State

Key Points

• Whether a river is snake-infested depends upon your viewpoint.
• Washington state just has one poisonous snake.
• The additional north you enter Washington, the less snake types you’ll discover.

Also called the Evergreen State, Washington is home to part of the Pacific Coast Range. It’s the most significant variety of temperate jungles on the planet and stretches from Alaska to California. This group of forests consists of the the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, Washington. These forests are best for a number of various snake types, with great deals of victim and a lot of concealing locations.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, snakes are everywhere, even as far north as Washington state. There aren’t as lots of here compared to other states, however you might identify a couple of around Washington’s rivers. And, speaking of rivers, Washington is criss-crossed with almost 70,000 miles of rivers. That’s a lot to check out!

Very couple of snakes spend more than a number of hours daily in the water. In the U.S., the just real watersnakes are those in the Nerodia genus and they don’t happen in Washington. However, Washington has a number of garter snake types that enjoy the water and even consume fish, frogs, and other amphibians. Additionally, all snakes can swim! 

Now, whether a location is snake-infested is mostly a personal viewpoint. If you’re a passionate herper (one who likes finding reptiles and amphibians), plagued most likely ways something various than the typical individual. There aren’t that lots of snake types in Washington — it’s too far north for a lot of. And, according to iNaturalist.org, the snakes more than likely crawling about are garter snakes, racers, and gopher snakes. Over two-thirds of the reported sightings are of among the 3 garter snake types!

Let’s take a look at the rivers that appear to have the most snake sightings to determine which rivers in Washington are the most snake-infested.

Columbia River

The Columbia River passes through over 1,200 miles from British Columbia, Canada, through Washington and drains pipes into the Pacific Ocean. The long and winding path it takes has sufficient environment for Washington’s 12 approximately snake types. With sensational vistas that consist of forests, mountains, and deserts, the river provides a lot of activities like boating, fishing, and treking — making it popular with residents and travelers alike.

The long length of the Columbia River indicates you might see the majority of the state’s snakes someplace along the river. And, the snakes you discover shift from rattlesnakes, gophersnakes, and racers as the river gets in Washington in the northeast to predominately garter snakes as it clears into the Pacific Ocean. Other snakes you might experience along the Columbia River consist of striped whipsnakes, ring-neck snakes, and sharp-tailed snakes.

Snake River

This is the most significant tributary streaming into the Columbia River, joining it around Kennewick, Washington. Interestingly, the Snake River’s name didn’t originated from the snake population or its winding shape. No, somebody misconstrued the indication language the Shoshone utilized for weaving baskets. They rather believed it indicated “snake,” and it stuck.

The Snake River gets in Washington in the southeastern corner of the state. There are northern Pacific rattlesnakes and gopher snakes aplenty! And, together with the periodic desert nightsnake and obviously terrestrial garter snakes.

Skagit River

The Skagit River runs about 150 miles from its start in the Cascades, to its ending at Puget Sound. The river’s floodplain is among the most environmentally varied locations on the planet. It supports countless types consisting of salmon and bald eagles. The location has estuaries and tideflats, and supports abundant farmland.

The winter season weather condition this far north is too cold for a lot of snakes. So, that leaves you with the almost unstoppable garter snake. All 3 of Washington’s gartersnake types happen along the Skagit River.

Klickitat River

This tributary circulations for about 96 miles from the high Cascades south, signing up with the Columbia River near Lyle, Washington. It’s panoramas meander through high canyons. For the more daring individuals, the Klickitat Trail follows the river for about 30 miles along an old railway grade.

This southern Washington river is home to all of the state’s snakes. Most typical are gopher snakes, northern Pacific rattlesnakes, and western yellow-bellied racers. If you’re lucky, you may see a northern rubber boa or a sharp-tailed snake too!

Common Snakes

Of all the snakes in North America, garter snakes are the most prevalent and cold-tolerant of all our native snakes. They flourish as far north as British Columbia, Canada, are active earlier and later on in the year than lots of types, and are flexible.

Washington state has 3 native garter snake types, a lot of with a number of subspecies. 

Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides)

The most commonly-sighted garter snake around Washington’s lakes is the Northwestern garter snake. This is Washington’s tiniest garter snake types; it can get up to 4 feet long, however a lot of remain a bit smaller sized. 

Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis ssp.)

This garter snake and all its subspecies prevail through out a lot of locations where snakes can reside in North America. There are a couple of deserts they prevent, however in general — if there’s an environment, no matter how weak, there’s a typical garter snake. 

Common garter snakes can be found in a rainbow of colors — red, green, brown, black, and blue, among others. Almost all of them have stripes down their back and sides, some have checkerboard patterns and others have strong base colors. The 3 color scheme you’re more than likely to see around Washington’s lakes are: 

• Red-identified gartersnake (T. s. concinnus) — southwestern washington. 
• Puget Sound Gartersnake (T. s. pickeringii) — Northwestern Washington. 
• Possibly the valley Gartersnake (T. s. fitchi) — Rocky mountains.

Garter snakes consume worms, slugs, amphibians, and fish. They choose damp environments where they have access to an irreversible water source, however are even discovered in uninhabited lots. 

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans ssp.)

Contrary to its name, this garter snake is almost constantly discovered near water. Western terrestrial garter snakes are reasonably typical throughout Washington and you’re most likely to discover the roaming garter snake subspecies (T. e. vagrens). 

This types grows to about 3 and a half feet long, has a head that’s a little larger than its neck, and a strong dorsal stripe that frequently looks irregular. Like the other garter snakes, it’s understood for musking any viewed hazard, in some cases biting, and constantly squirming to leave — however it’s safe. 

Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer ssp.)

This huge, bad, non-venomous faker is quite typical, specifically in locations where there are rattlesnakes. You’re more than likely to discover the Great Basin gopher snake in eastern Washington. Their patterns are frequently comparable to rattlesnakes, and they mature to 7 feet long.

Gopher snakes puff up, hiss loudly, and rattle their tails versus the ground to attempt to go after off risks. However, they’re safe. 

Venomous Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes in Washington

If you live in Washington, you’re in luck! There’s just one poisonous snake in the state. Plus, it’s quite happy to caution you it’s there — the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. Sometimes still called the western rattlesnake, this snake is belonging to the eastern half of Washington, mainly in more dry and forested environments. 

All snakes can swim, however not all of them spend much time near the water. Northern Pacific rattlesnakes normally choose drier environments. However, if the weather condition gets too hot or they require to receive from point A to point B and the river takes place to be in the method, they’ll wriggle right on into the water. 

In Washington, a lot of Northern Pacific rattlesnakes remain around 3 feet long, however if they have adequate victim and good weather condition, a five-footer isn’t unusual. These snakes have approximately oval-shaped spots laid out in white on their backs, black and white banding on their tail that ends in a rattle, and the chunky heads many individuals connect with pit vipers. 

Older snakes’ patterns tend to be less vibrant than juvenile snakes, however they’re quite quickly identifiable. Fortunately, rattlesnakes aren’t aggressive and are more than happy to move far from you, offered half an opportunity. 

Snake-Infested Rivers?

In completion, whether a river or other environment is “infested with snakes” is mostly a viewpoint. And that’s all right! Most snakes are simply as happy to prevent you as they are stired to avert the devoted herper. Getting a strong population rely on snakes is almost never ever possible. It’s constantly a price quote, based upon the number of they saw this year versus in 2015. So, it’s actually difficult to measure simply the number of there are out there.

Complete List of Snakes

Washington just has 12 snake types, and one is very unusual. Here’s the list:

• Northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides)
• Terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans)
  • Wandering garter snake (T. e. vagrens)
• Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
  • Red-identified garter snake (T. s. concinnus)
  • Puget Sound garter snake (T. s. pickeringii)
  • Valley garter snake (T. s. fitchi)
• Great Basin gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola)
• Sharp-trailed snake (Contia tenuis)
• California mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata)
• Northern desert nightsnake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola)
• Ring-neck snake (Diadophis punctatus)
• Western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor mormon)
• Desert striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus)
• Northern rubber boa (Charina bottae)
• Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus)

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