Lizards Near Me › Colorado

Lizards in Colorado

The quickest way to know which lizards live in Colorado is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified lizards sightings across Colorado, and the list beneath it is the lizards recorded most often there lately. They are most active on warm, sunny days once the ground has heated up. All but a couple of desert species are completely harmless.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to lizards across Colorado.

Lizards seen most often in Colorado

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Prairie Lizard
Sceloporus consobrinus
4,207 observations
Plateau Fence Lizard
Sceloporus tristichus
2,027 observations
Eastern Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris
1,492 observations
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
1,278 observations
Six-lined Racerunner
Aspidoscelis sexlineatus
1,173 observations · iNaturalist
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
1,085 observations
Common Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus
734 observations
Colorado Checkered Whiptail
Aspidoscelis neotesselatus
717 observations
Plateau Striped Whiptail
Aspidoscelis velox
612 observations
Western Earless Lizard
Holbrookia maculata
605 observations
Texas Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma cornutum
497 observations
Western Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris
477 observations
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
238 observations
Common Checkered Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tesselatus
142 observations
Many-lined Skink
Plestiodon multivirgatus
117 observations
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Gambelia wislizenii
100 observations
Great Plains Skink
Plestiodon obsoletus
74 observations
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
40 observations
Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
14 observations
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis exsanguis
12 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in Colorado. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

Found a lizard in Colorado?

Identify any lizard from a photo in seconds, with its habitat, range and safety notes, and build your collection as you go.

Get Huck

More wildlife in Colorado

All wildlife in ColoradoSnakes in ColoradoFrogs in ColoradoTurtles in ColoradoSalamanders in ColoradoOwls in ColoradoButterflies in ColoradoSpiders in ColoradoWildflowers in Colorado

Looking more widely? See lizards near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What lizards live in Colorado?

Commonly recorded lizards in Colorado include Prairie Lizard, Plateau Fence Lizard, Eastern Collared Lizard, Greater Short-horned Lizard, Six-lined Racerunner, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

When is the best time to see lizards in Colorado?

They are most active on warm, sunny days once the ground has heated up. Recent verified sightings across Colorado are the most reliable guide to what is active right now.

Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.