"Dangerous" wildlife around the state? (Sedona: how much, movies)

[lmcintyre1s]

Hello everyone,

My wife and I are planning a road trip around your beautiful state in late March/early April. We plan on doing some very light hiking at times (there will be a couple instances where we won't be on anything resembling pavement). My question is, is there much to be concerned about in terms of potentially harmful wildlife? I'm from Kentucky, and have spent no time in the southwest, so my only experience is "Arid climate, based on the movies that means rattlers and scorpions everywhere." I don't plan on kicking over rocks or sticking my hand anywhere I can't see, but how much caution is needed?

Thanks!

Can't wait to visit soon.

[rational1]

You should be more concerned about getting lost and running out of water (although water is not so much of a problem in spring unless you also get lost).

Familiarize yourself with the sound of a rattler. You will probably never hear one. If you do back off.

Seems to me they have poisonous snakes in Kentucky, and they don't give any warning??

[lmcintyre1s]

Originally Posted by rational1

You should be more concerned about getting lost and running out of water (although water is not so much of a problem in spring unless you also get lost).

Familiarize yourself with the sound of a rattler. You will probably never hear one. If you do back off.

Seems to me they have poisonous snakes in Kentucky, and they don't give any warning??

Thanks for the response!

As far as getting lost, we don't plan on leaving a trail at any point, and aside from one hike which is a dirt/rock trail near Sedona, I think everything we'll be doing will be quite touristy (Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest), so we should be ok on that front. We're doing a VERY aggressive timeline on our road trip, so we won't have a ton of time to hike far anyway.

We have rattlesnakes in this area, timber rattlers; fortunately I've never run across one in the wild. We also have copperheads and cottonmouths that are venomous but do not give any warning.

[wase4711]

you're more likely to see coyotes bobcats and the like around sun up or sundown in the late spring, so unless you are hiking at those times, I wouldn't worry..plus if you are on populated/busy trails, most critters want to be farther away from you than you would think..
and, if you are a skilled gun owner, you can always put a pistol in your pocket, just to make sure..no permit or license required in this state..

[BIG CATS]

March/April is prime time for rattlesnakes. Yes, they are prevalent. Yes, they can be dangerous. Just watch your step and you should be ok. Most of the time they wont even rattle, as they don't want to be disturbed. You'll probably pass several and never even know it. Just exercise caution, that's all.

[KurtAZ]

Just remember, the desert environment is designed to protect itself, i.e. hurt, maim or kill you. Pay attention to your surroundings, bring lots of water and powerbars, if something looks dodgy, don't touch or mess with it. If you are so inclined, carry a firearm (I never go hiking without one). Make sure someone knows where you are and when you expect to return.

[agorski]

Loose dogs can be easily killed by javelina, so don't do that. Otherwise, you should be fine.

AZ is not like Australia where everything is trying to kill you. ;-)

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by agorski

Loose dogs can be easily killed by javelina, so don't do that. Otherwise, you should be fine.

AZ is not like Australia where everything is trying to kill you. ;-)

Javelina are the least of their worries. They are nowhere near as prevalent as rattlers, and nowhere near as camouflaged, either. Plus, your chances of seeing a pig in the daytime are rare, unlike rattlers which are just laying about waiting for night time.

[viridianforest]

I suppose the biggest tip is to be aware where you step, sit, and where you place your hands.

Be aware of rattlesnakes early in the morning, sometimes they are too cold and won't move a whole lot. They may not even rattle at you and sit there. Hopefully they will be too cold to do anything, but sometimes they will seek warmth and humans can be indeed warm. They will be most active moving around in the daytime, but as some have also said - they don't always rattle at you so keep your surroundings in view and be alert for them. If at any time you take your shoes off, shake them out well before putting them back on.

Other wildlife that is or could be considered dangerous to be aware of are Africanized honey bees or "killer bees". We do have them in Arizona, and they look super similar to regular honey bees - in fact, you probably will not be able to tell the difference. Just be cautious and don't provoke them (swatting at them and such).

We also have centipedes, scorpions, black widows, brown recluses, and kissing bugs. All of which are highly toxic to people with painful bites/stings. It's good to keep an eye out for them if you're looking closely at the ground at something or walking past trees or brush. I think kissing bugs scare me more than anything - they are small and some people have an extremely bad reaction to them. I hate black widows or brown recluses - they are definitely good at their hiding spots. Generally these mind their own business unless you have an accidental encounter (e.g. put your hand in the wrong spot or they find their way into your bag). You're probably more likely to run into venomous insects and spiders than you are a rattlesnake.

There are gila monsters, but as long as you don't touch them and let them go about their business, you're good. We do have black bears, but it's not that common to encounter one. I'd honestly be more afraid of mountain lions - definitely be aware of them if you're walking under ledges or near cliffs since they tend (as most cats do) to stalk their prey from a higher location. You may not even hear or see them, but be aware.

We do have a good handful of poisonous plants, but it depends on what area you're in as to whether you come across them or not. This may be important to be mindful of if you plan on bringing a dog with you or small children that may try to consume plants.

If you have part of you that hurts, stings, or throbs - it's not a bad idea to check it out ASAP and keep an eye on it. Definitely get medical treatment if need be.

Like some have said - the bigger concern is dehydration, getting lost, or running out of food. Make sure you're able to be familiar with the area, mark your trail in some way, etc. Do carry plenty of water with you. One water bottle each will not do it. I'm talking maybe a gallon or more each - I would suggest a good camel pack, but get them well beforehand so you can wash them out first and make sure they dry so you don't get too much of that plastic-y taste. Keep salty foods with you as they help with electrolyte levels and other good hiking foods. Wear a good sun hat and light colored clothes. Shorts in my opinion aren't the best hiking pants - wear long pants, good walking shoes, and a light colored long-sleeved or short sleeved shirt. Better covered than poked by plants or sunburned.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

May I suggest snake gaiters and a hiking boot with a good ankle support. Some of the terrain is old lava and like walking on a bunch of golf balls.