• View of Half Dome and Washington Column in Yosemite Valley

    Yosemite

    National Park California

Reptile Species List

brown-and-cream colored snake

California kingsnake

The list below includes the 22 native reptile species found in Yosemite National Park. One of these species, the Western pond turtle, is listed as a California Species of Concern (CSC) due to population declines.

 
Dark snake folded on rock

Mountain gartersnake

Western pond turtle (Actinemys marmota) -- CSC
Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum)
Great Basin fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes)
Sierra fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis taylori)
Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)
Gilbert's skink (Eumeces gilberti gilberti)
California whiptail (Aspidosceolis tigris mundus)
San Diego alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata webbii)
Sierra alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea palmeri)
Northern rubber boa (Charina bottae)
Coral-bellied ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus pulchellus)
Sharp-tailed snake (Contia tenuis)
Western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor mormon)
Chaparral striped racer (Coluber lateralis lateralis)
California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus californiae)
Sierra mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata multicincta)
Sierra gartersnake (Thamnophis couchii)
Mountain gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans elegans)
Valley gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi)
California nightsnake (Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata)
Pacific gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer)
Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalis oreganus oreganus)

 
Turtle walking on dry surface

Western pond turtle

Did You Know?

Upper Yosemite Fall with spring runoff

Yosemite Falls is fed mostly by snowmelt.  Peak flow usually happens in late May, but by August, Yosemite Falls is often dry.  It begins flowing again a few months later, after winter snows arrive.