State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Washington
Washington has wet forest in the west and dry sagebrush in the east. Pacific Chorus Frogs are the most-reported herp. Rough-skinned Newts and Northwestern Salamanders live in the wet west. April is the busiest month, and the Western Rattlesnake lives in the east.
35 species6 ecoregions1 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Washington, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Lizards | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Turtles | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Frogs and Toads | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Salamanders | 5 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
Pick your ecoregion
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Washington
Seasons shift a lot between Washington's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Columbia Plateau
15 speciesDry sagebrush and wheat country where gopher snakes and rattlesnakes are the main finds.
View calendar →Cascades
29 speciesCool mountain forests and lakes, best for frogs, newts and garter snakes.
View calendar →Pacific Northwest Coast
42 speciesRainforest coast where salamanders and chorus frogs are active through the wet winter.
View calendar →Northern Rockies
14 speciesMountain forest and river valleys with garter snakes and spotted frogs.
View calendar →Eastern Cascades and Blue Mountains
18 speciesPine forest and sagebrush where fence lizards and gopher snakes like the heat.
View calendar →Willamette Valley
24 speciesOak savanna and wetlands where chorus frogs call through the wet winter.
View calendar →Venomous here: Western Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Washington
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Washington?
April is the busiest month in Washington, with 29 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Washington?
35 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 12 salamanders, 7 frogs and toads, 7 snakes, 6 lizards, and 3 turtles. The most-reported are the Pacific Chorus Frog, Northwestern Garter Snake, and Common Garter Snake.
Are there venomous snakes in Washington?
Yes. The Western Rattlesnake lives here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Washington are introduced?
The American Bullfrog, Pond Slider, and Spiny Softshell are not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.