State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Montana
Montana is mountains in the west and open prairie in the east. Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes and Columbia Spotted Frogs are the most-reported herps. Painted Turtles bask in prairie ponds. September is the busiest month, and the Prairie Rattlesnake lives here.
16 species3 ecoregions1 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Montana, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |||||
| Lizards | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| Turtles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Frogs and Toads | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||||
| Salamanders | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
Pick your ecoregion
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Montana
Seasons shift a lot between Montana's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Northern Great Plains
15 speciesOpen prairie and pothole ponds with leopard frogs, painted turtles and rattlesnakes.
View calendar →Middle Rockies and Wyoming Basin
10 speciesHigh, cold country with a short season and just a handful of herps.
View calendar →Northern Rockies
14 speciesMountain forest and river valleys with garter snakes and spotted frogs.
View calendar →Venomous here: Prairie Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Montana
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Montana?
September is the busiest month in Montana, with 13 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from April through October.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Montana?
16 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 6 snakes, 5 frogs and toads, 2 lizards, 2 salamanders, and 1 turtle. The most-reported are the Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, Columbia Spotted Frog, and Painted Turtle.
Are there venomous snakes in Montana?
Yes. The Prairie Rattlesnake lives here. Don't handle them.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.