The western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), the sole native species in Oregon, is the reptile that most embodies the state’s wild, untamed nature.
According to their geographic range, two subspecies also occur in the state: the Great Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus lutosus) and the Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus).
Western rattlesnakes are widespread across Oregon, from the rocky deserts of the east to the sunny slopes of the Columbia Plateau, the striking canyons, and the region known as the Great Basin Desert.
They are an essential part of the ecosystems’ equilibrium and flourish in some of the state’s most difficult environments.
Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock State Park was formed by the eruption of neighboring volcanoes that solidified into rock some 30 million years ago in the high desert of Central Oregon.
The park spans more than 650 acres, with elevations ranging from 3,200 feet to roughly 2,800 feet at the Crooked River Gorge.
The park is home to a wide variety of animals, including raptors such as great horned owls, peregrine falcons, and golden and bald eagles. There are also mule deer, bobcats, and coyotes.
Western rattlesnakes lurk in the nooks and crannies of the park’s cliffs, despite their tendency to shun human contact.
After being bitten in the park in September 2024, a climber was transported to Bend by Life Flight chopper to receive life-saving antivenom treatment.
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is not an exception to the rule that hikers may run into a rattlesnake or two when exploring the state’s twelve national forests. In northeastern Oregon, it is the biggest national forest.
Hikers can explore more than 500 miles of trails over its 2.3 million acres, which range in elevation from 875 feet in Hells Canyon National Recreation Center to over 9,000 feet in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
The forest spreads into Washington and Idaho, two nearby states.
The sun-drenched pine and juniper woodlands of the national forest are home to the greenish-brown Northern Pacific rattlesnake. However, these poisonous pit vipers typically do not inhabit the magnificent Wallowa Mountains above 6,000 feet.
Great Basin
The Great Basin rattlesnake, a subspecies of the Western rattlesnake, gets its name from the arid, sagebrush-covered region it calls home.
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The Great Basin is the largest watershed in North America, spanning 200,000 square miles in the western United States.
It includes parts of Idaho and Wyoming, the eastern Sierra Nevada slopes in California, the western parts of Utah, including the Great Salt Lake, and the southeast portion of Oregon and nearly the whole state of Nevada.
Great Basin rattlesnakes are found almost entirely in the southeastern Oregon region on south-facing rocky outcroppings with deep crevices, as well as in the dry plain and desert environments of the Columbia Plateau and Great Basin Desert.
Deschutes River State Recreation Area
Hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and world-class steelhead and trout fishing are all popular activities in the Deschutes River State Recreation Area.
The Cascade Mountains are where the Deschutes River starts, and it flows 252 miles to the Columbia.
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Because of its breathtaking landscape, recreational opportunities, and biological value, a portion of it has been designated a National Wild and Scenic River. Washout, Rattlesnake, and Moody are the three whitewater rapids in the river’s lower reaches.
When a man was climbing out of his watercraft during a four-day whitewater rafting trip down the Deschutes River in June 2023, he was bitten by a rattlesnake. Before being moved to Bend, he was brought to a nearby hospital.
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a protected region with well-preserved layers of extinct flora and creatures located in northeastern Oregon.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the fossil beds to discover how the flora and fauna have adapted to a dynamic environment that has been shattered by volcanoes and shifting climates over 50 million years.
With rocky outcrops and hillsides that offer the perfect cover and spots to enjoy the sun that cold-blooded reptiles like the western rattlesnake adore, the area has been converted into a sagebrush steppe habitat.
Although they are plentiful near the monument, rattlers will typically flee if they feel threatened. The snakes should be kept a safe distance away from visitors.
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