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The Sunshine State attracts millions of visitors yearly to its sunny shores, drawn by the promise of golden beaches, lush landscapes, and endless adventure. But Florida isn鈥檛 just for tourists鈥攔attlesnakes, too, are pulled to the same sun-soaked terrain, thriving in its warm climate and diverse ecosystems. In 2023, over 140.6 million tourists visited the state, setting a new record for the state鈥檚 highest visitation. In that same year, there were more reported snake bites in South Florida than in previous years. Florida is home to several species of rattlesnakes, including the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus), Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus-horridus), and the Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri).

Rattlesnakes are found in every county in Florida, including the Florida Keys. The Eastern diamondback prefers drier areas like pine forests and fields, whereas the dusky pygmy rattlesnake inhabits wooded areas near swamps, ponds, and marshes. Timber rattlesnakes also like wooded habitats but prefer the more temperate climates of Northern Florida. While visitors may encounter rattlesnakes anywhere in the state, their chances increase if traveling to these six most rattlesnake-infested areas.

Florida Everglades

While wildlife enthusiasts typically choose to visit the Everglades National Park to see the American Alligator, which numbers over 250,000 in the park, the Florida Everglades are by far the most snake-infested areas in the state. With 46 species of snakes in the state, 23 species can be found in the protected wetland ecosystem, including the eastern diamondback and dusky pygmy rattlesnakes. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest in North America and can grow as long as eight feet, while pygmy rattlesnakes are typically smaller, averaging 14-22 inches.

Eco-tourists to Florida with an interest in seeing rattlesnakes in their natural habitat should consider booking an Everglades Day Safari tour with departures from Miami, Fort Myers, and Naples or an exciting 60-minute Airboat Tour from Everglades Holiday Park leaving from Fort Lauderdale.

Big Cypress National Preserve

The Big Cypress National Preserve is home to many ecosystems, including swamps, marshes, forests, and cypress wetlands, located about 45 miles west of Miami. The preserve is also home to diverse wildlife, including endangered Florida panthers, alligators, black bears, and over 51 species of reptiles, including the eastern diamondback and pygmy rattlesnakes.

Encompassing over 729,000 acres of the Big Cypress Swamp, the Preserve contains a mixture of temperate and tropical plants. It is a top destination for nature lovers who enjoy kayaking, hiking, and stargazing in the designated Dark Sky Park. Popular activities in the Preserve with opportunities to spot rattlesnakes include hiking the 5-mile Gator Hook Trail through the Cypress Swamp or paddling on the Turner River Paddling Trail through freshwater swamps and coast estuaries.

Apalachicola National Forest

The Apalachicola National Forest, located near the state capital of Tallahassee, spans over half a million acres and is the state鈥檚 largest national forest. It offers a mix of diverse habitats, from wetlands to pine flatwoods, making it the perfect habitat for venomous snakes like the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and the dusky pygmy rattlesnake.

The forest is a popular destination for hikers, who can easily spend a few hours or a few days in the forest on more than 80 miles of designated trails. The Camel Lake Recreation Area is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy one of the few crystal-clear lakes in the forest after hiking.

Fort Matanzas National Monument

The Fort Matanzas National Monument is located on the Atlantic Ocean's barrier island of Rattlesnake Island. Only accessible by boat from mainland Florida, the fort is a top destination for history buffs and military enthusiasts who travel by boat from mainland Florida to take a guided tour of the fort and its strategic importance in the defense of the oldest city in the U.S., St. Augustine, during the Spanish colonial period.

The area surrounding Fort Matanzas is home to a variety of wildlife, including birds, marine life, and a thriving population of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, thanks to the island鈥檚 mix of coastal forests, salt marshes, and dunes. The coastal scrub at the Fort Matanzas National Monument is a unique habitat found along the coastline where the beach dunes meet the salt marshes and a prime location for both eastern diamondback and dusky pygmy rattlesnakes who use the underbrush and low-growing plants as cover for hunting small prey like rodents and lizards.

Suwannee River Basin

While the timber rattlesnake isn鈥檛 very common in the Sunshine State, it is found in northern Florida in the Suwannee River Basin and the extreme northeastern Florida Panhandle. Its preferred habitat is in hardwood forests, cane thickets, pine flatwoods, and the edges of swamps and marshes. Timber rattlesnakes are smaller than eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, with adults ranging from three to five feet long.

A haven for outdoor adventurers and wilderness explorers, the Suwannee River Basin is a prime destination for paddling along the 70-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail that spans the river in northern Florida and Georgia. Other popular pastimes in the basin include bicycling, bird watching, fishing, and horseback riding.

Ocala National Forest

The Ocala National Forest is the southernmost national forest in the continental U.S. and encompasses roughly 387,000 acres of terrain, from highlands to coastal lowlands. It is home to more than 600 swamps, lakes, rivers, and springs and a wide range of flora and fauna, including the largest populations of Florida black bears.

Outdoor enthusiasts can expect to see alligators, white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, armadillos, and more in the wooded oak hammocks, palm trees, and cypress wetland prairies. The forest is also a dusky pygmy rattlesnake hotspot. As its name implies, the pygmy rattlesnake is the smallest rattler in the state but probably the most frequently-encountered venomous snake. Although the pygmy rattlesnake has a rattle, it is often too small to make much noise.

The Florida Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and other wildlife-rich areas in Florida are home to various rattlesnake species, including the eastern diamondback, dusky pygmy, and timber rattlesnakes. The Everglades, known for its abundant alligator population, is one of the state's most rattlesnake-infested regions, with 23 snake species in its wetland ecosystem. The Apalachicola National Forest and Fort Matanzas National Monument also provide an ideal habitat for rattlesnakes, attracting nature lovers and adventurers. For visitors interested in spotting timber rattlesnakes, the Suwannee River Basin and Ocala National Forest are prime locations, with outdoor activities like paddling, hiking, and bird watching enhancing the experience.