Lampropeltis pyromelana
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Lampropeltis pyromelana, the Sonoran mountain kingsnake or Arizona mountain kingsnake, is a species of snake native to the southwestern United States. It can grow up to 36 inches (910 mm) in length. Within Arizona, L. pyromelana has a discontinuous range extending from the extreme northwestern corner of the state, across the central mountain ranges and the Mogollon Rim, into the "sky island" mountain ranges of the southeast. They can be found at elevations ranging from 3,000–9,000 feet (910–2,740 m) in a variety of habitats from chaparral to conifer forests, often near streams or springs and associated with juniper woodland.
Lampropeltis pyromelana feeds on lizards, rodents and nestling birds. It tends to spend the daytime among rocks, logs, or dense clumps of vegetation. Media related to Lampropeltis pyromelana at Wikimedia Commons Reptile database Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Phoenix Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Parc de l'Auxois | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | The Living Planet Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | ZooAmerica | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | OdySea Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Snakeroom Serpentarium | 🇪🇸 Spain |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Arizona Mountain Kingsnake sighting in Zion National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 21 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Arizona Mountain Kingsnake in Zion National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August–September and November–April, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Arizona Mountain Kingsnake sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Arizona Mountain Kingsnake sightings, Zion National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Grand Canyon National Park (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Arizona Mountain Kingsnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Zion National Park (10 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.
