Updated April 23, 2026 01:16PM<\/p>\n
In an average year, California records zero or one death from rattlesnake bites. On April 10, the state suffered its third of 2026 so far.<\/p>\n
According to a press release<\/a> from the Mendocino County Sheriff\u2019s Office, on April 8 a 78-year-old woman was walking on a rural property in Redwood Valley, located in the northern part of the state, when a rattlesnake bit her three times. Emergency responders transported her to the hospital, but her condition declined and two days later, she passed away. An autopsy concluded that she died from snake envenomation and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, a clotting condition that results in extensive internal bleeding.<\/p>\n While venomous snakebites and deaths from them remain very rare, there\u2019s little denying that both are surging in California this year. In addition to the three deaths, the California Poison Control System reported 77 rattlesnake bites in the first three months of the year. Considering that the warmest months are yet to come, the state is on pace to exceed the average of 300 to 400 incidents it records in a normal year.<\/p>\n Behind the rise in snakebites is a warmer-than-usual spring, buttressed by a period of wet weather. In an interview before the latest death<\/a>, Dr. Emily Taylor, a snake researcher from California Polytechnic State University and founder of Central Coast Snake Services, told Backpacker that booming rodent populations and rising temperatures likely allowed snakes to become active earlier than they usually would have.<\/p>\n Hikers, who frequent areas where rattlers are common, are at particular risk. At least one fatality this year and several recent bites have involved people out for a walk on a trail. The hazard isn\u2019t limited to California, with other western states like Arizona reporting an increase in envenomations this year as well.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really good if people just respect rattlesnakes,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cIt\u2019s okay if they don\u2019t like them, but give them a wide berth, admire them from a distance, and know that they\u2019re going to be there no matter what, so we need to just know how to be safe around them.\u201d Here\u2019s how hikers can minimize their chance of a negative encounter with a rattler.<\/p>\n Where can I expect to encounter rattlesnakes?<\/p>\n While we often associate the image of a coiled, rattling snake with the Southwest, rattlers are more widespread than you might think. Rattlesnakes inhabit all of the Lower 48 states except for Maine and Rhode Island, where they\u2019re locally extinct. Their populations are especially dense in the Southwest thanks to warm, sunny weather and plentiful habitat.<\/p>\n With that said, you\u2019re more likely to run into snakes in some environments than others. As ectotherms, rattlesnakes regulate their body temperature by sunning themselves or seeking shade, so they gravitate towards talus, scrub, tall grass, and other environments where they can find both shelter and sunshine as they like.<\/p>\n How can I avoid rattlesnake bites?<\/p>\n Situational awareness is key: As Taylor told Backpacker, hikers need to pay close attention to their surroundings and avoid putting their hands or feet where they can\u2019t see. Stay on trail, especially in brushy or grassy areas, and avoid using headphones, which can prevent you from hearing a snake\u2019s warning rattle.<\/p>\n Your footwear choices can help keep you safe as well. Sturdy, ankle-high boots can help prevent a bite on the lower extremities. While standard gaiters can\u2019t resist fangs, specialized snake-resistant models like the TurtleSkin SnakeArmor<\/a> ($233) are capable of warding off a strike if worn properly.<\/p>\n Can I move a rattlesnake if it\u2019s blocking the trail?<\/p>\n Definitely don\u2019t do that. Hikers touching or disturbing the reptiles have suffered bites in the past, including a fatal one at Tennessee\u2019s Savage Gulf State Park<\/a> in 2025. Your trekking pole won\u2019t keep you safe, either: According to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum<\/a>, rattlers can strike from a distance of up to two-thirds of their body length. The US Forest Service advises hikers to stay at least 6 feet away\u2014the maximum length that most Western species reach. Snake won\u2019t budge? Walk around it or backtrack.<\/p>\n What should I do if I\u2019m bitten by a rattlesnake?<\/p>\n First, call 911: The only treatment for a rattlesnake bite is antivenom, administered at a hospital. Try your best to stay calm, as keeping your heart rate down can help slow the spread of the venom. While you wait for evacuation, remove any jewelry and keep the bitten limb elevated slightly above your heart to reduce swelling. Do not apply a tourniquet or attempt to cut the wound or suck out the venom: These \u201ctreatments\u201d do not work, and could result in further damage. If you can\u2019t reach help and must hike out, do so slowly and carefully.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard that baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adult ones. Is that true?<\/p>\n It is not. There\u2019s a widespread misconception that juvenile rattlers\u2019 bites are deadlier because they haven\u2019t learned to control how much venom they inject. It\u2019s not just laypeople spreading it, either: A study published in the journal Toxins <\/a>in March 2026 found that an overwhelming 73.3 percent of emergency responders and health professionals believed the so-called \u201cvenom dump\u201d hypothesis. The reality: Years of research has shown that baby rattlesnakes are capable of controlling how much venom they inject. While baby rattlesnakes may pose unique risks because of their small, easily-missed size and the fact that they aren\u2019t born with a rattle, adult rattlesnakes deliver significantly larger venom loads and therefore a more dangerous bite.<\/p>\n While we\u2019re at it, let\u2019s bust a few more snake myths. There is no evidence that rattlesnakes are evolving to lose their rattles; while some populations may rattle less than others, that\u2019s typically because they live in high-traffic areas where they\u2019ve become accustomed to people. On the flip side, rattlesnakes don\u2019t always rattle before they strike, especially when they\u2019re taken by surprise. And if you are bitten by a rattlesnake, the bite won\u2019t kill you immediately: Unless you\u2019re unlucky enough to have a severe allergic reaction, like the hiker in the Savage Gulf incident, you likely have enough time to seek medical care.<\/p>\n A New Perspective on Rattlesnakes<\/p>\n For many hikers, the problem isn\u2019t that they need to be more cautious of snakes\u2014it\u2019s that they\u2019re too nervous about them already. Ophidiophobia, or the extreme fear of snakes, is one of the most common phobias, and can lead people to avoid outdoor areas where they may run into the reptiles, which, in a state like California, is most of them.<\/p>\n