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Herping Fun at Lake Powell

Whoo! Just got back from a week-long vacation at Lake Powell. It was perfect—soft sand beach, sleeping under the stars, lots of laughs shared with good friends, and lots of writing time. But let’s talk about REPTILES! That’s right friends: Hubby and I did some Lake Powell herping!

According to the United States National Park Service, the following reptile species can be found at Lake Powell (click the links to see pictures).

Lake Powell Lizards

  • Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
  • Desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)
  • Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister)
  • Eastern collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
  • Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
  • Great Basin collared lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)
  • Great Basin whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris tigris)
  • Longnose leopard lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)
  • Night lizard (Xantusia vigilis)
  • Plateau striped whiptail (Cnemidophorus velox)
  • Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)
  • Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana)
  • Tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
  • Western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)

Lake Powell Tortoises

  • Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)

Lake Powell Snakes

  • Black-necked garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis)
  • Common kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)
  • Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer)
  • Glossy snake (Arizona elegans)
  • Grand Canyon rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus abyssus)
  • Long-nose snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)
  • Night snake (Hypsiglena torquata)
  • Patch-nose snake (Salvadora hexalepis)
  • Striped whipsnake (Coluber taeniatus)
  • Wandering garter snake (Thamnophis elegans)
  • Western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)
    • Hopi rattlesnake (C. v. nuntius)
    • Great Basin rattlesnake (C. v. lutosus)
    • Midget faded rattlesnake (C. v. concolor)

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Herping at Lake Powell

…is a lot of fun! We didn’t find any Lake Powell snakes, but we saw tons of lizards! Hubby is a pro at spotting and catching lizards, so I must admit that I can’t take any of the credit there. But I did take the pictures.

Lake Powell herping - juvenile whiptail lizard

Juvenile side-blotched lizard. And don’t worry, he’s not being pinched.

Hatchling side-blotched lizard at Lake Powell

Suspected hatchling side-blotched lizard. So tiny!!!

Lake Powell herping on the rocks

Hubby looking for lizards on the rocks.

Lake Powell herping - side-blotched lizard

Adult or subadult side-blotched lizard (we named him Leroy). These little guys are so chill! After getting over the initial shock of being caught, they become your best friend.

Obligatory herping selfie. Humor me, guys.

Obligatory herping selfie with Leroy. Humor me, guys.

Lake Powell lizard - side-blotched

Side-blotched lizard

Lake Powell lizard - side-blotched in grass

Camouflage on point. Can you find the side-blotched lizard?

Lake Powell lizard - subadult side-blotched

Another side-blotched lizard

Lake Powell lizard - Great Basin whiptail

Meet Moby (short for Moby Dick), a Great Basin whiptail (something different—FINALLY!). His burrow was right next to the house boat, and Hubby chased him for *days* before finally catching him. Look at his long toes!


Have YOU gone herping in the Southwest US? What did you find? Feel free to brag in the comments. 😉

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