California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colúbrids)
- GenusLampropeltis (Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes)
- SpeciesLampropeltis californiae (California King Snake)
The California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) is a nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to the western United States and northern Mexico, and is found in a variety of habitats. Due to ease of care and a wide range of color variations, the California kingsnake is one of the most popular snakes in captivity. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a California King Snake sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Coachwhip
Masticophis flagellum
Western Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora hexalepis
Western Shovel-nosed Snake
Sonora occipitalis
Glossy Snake
Arizona elegans
Long-nosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Striped Racer
Masticophis lateralis
Desert Nightsnake
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
Western Leaf-nosed Snake
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Two-striped Garter Snake
Thamnophis hammondii
Baja California Lyre Snake
Trimorphodon lyrophanes
Ground Snake
Sonora semiannulata
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a California King Snake in Joshua Tree National Park?
About 7% of wildlife watchers report a California King Snake sighting in Joshua Tree National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see California King Snake in Joshua Tree National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for California King Snake in Joshua Tree National Park in our monthly data.