Everything Utah, every day.
Help Utahns understand their communities and hold government accountable. Our mission →
A small snake with so many color forms that no single photograph covers it.
Zion describes the ground snake as a small, harmless colubrid snake, also called the common or variable ground snake. The names are honest: color and pattern vary widely, even within one region. Individuals may be brown, red or orange, with black bands, orange or brown stripes, or a solid color.
Some features are steadier than the color. The belly is usually white or gray and the scales are smooth. Even so, a single photograph of one snake cannot show the full range of the species, so treat a pattern as a hint and not as a species identification.
Most of Zion's snakes are nocturnal, so a daytime sighting is lucky. Look from the trail, keep your distance and leave the snake alone. Photographs from a distance are enough to check later with the park or a field guide.
Small snake with smooth scales and a small head; color varies from solid to banded or striped.
Observe from a distance and rely on photographs, not handling.
A diverse group of native predators best appreciated without handling or close-range identification attempts.
Sure-footed sheep of the slickrock, restored to Zion after disappearing there.
Insect-eating flying mammals whose lives depend on suitable roosts, water and a safe seasonal cycle.