Black-tailed Rattlesnake

About the Black-tailed Rattlesnake

The Black-tailed Rattlesnake is one of the handsomest rattlesnakes in Texas, dressed in olive, gold, and charcoal diamonds that fade into a jet-black tail just before the rattle. It is a mountain snake in our state, most at home among the rocks and canyons of the Trans-Pecos.

Despite the fearsome family reputation, blacktails are famously mild-mannered, preferring to lie still or ease away rather than stand their ground. They are ambush hunters, waiting patiently along rodent trails for a meal to walk past.

This snake was photographed in Dog Canyon on the quiet north side of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, easing across the trail on an August morning.