Thamnophis radix
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) is a species of garter snake native to most of the central United States as far north as Canada and as far south as Texas. It has a distinctive orange or yellow stripe from its head to tail, and the rest of its body is mainly a gray-green color. The snake is commonly found living near water sources such as streams and ponds, but can also be found in urban areas and vacant lots. Although the IUCN lists the species as "Least Concern", some states have given it their own special status. This species is mildly venomous, although the venom is not toxic to humans.
The plains garter snake has either an orange or yellow stripe down its back and distinctive black bars on its lip. The stripe normally starts at the head and continues all the way to the tail tip. Lateral stripes are located on the third and fourth scale rows and are normally a greenish-yellow color. Its belly is gray-green with small dark spots along the edges. Most have distinctive light yellow spots on the top of the head. The snake is described as medium-sized and is on average around 3 ft (0.91 m).
Described as "one of the most cold... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Plains Garter Snake sighting in Badlands National Park on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 6 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May, July and October
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Plains Garter Snake in Badlands National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March and November, the lowest months. Those are among Badlands National Park's wettest months, with about 55 mm of rain a month against 15 mm in January.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Plains Garter Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Plains Garter Snake sightings, Badlands National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 50%) and Riding Mountain National Park (Canada, about 30%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Plains Garter Snake that you can see in Badlands National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Gopher Snake (about 40%), North American Racer (about 40%) and Plains Hognose Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Plains Garter Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Badlands National Park (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
