In fact, there are quite a few terrifying things in Iowa that can (and just might) kill you… But getting back to nature could also put you face to face with another resident of the state. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes are gray or grayish-brown with dark bands or blotches down the back.

The eyes have vertical, cat-like pupils and the head is shaped like a spade, though it is not as wide as the heads of other rattlesnakes in Iowa. Blotches on the back become bands near the tail, which is tipped by a small rattle.

Iowa’s prairies, woods and agricultural lands are home to quite a few species of snakes, from big timber rattlesnakes and fleet racers to diminutive, worm-eating smooth earth snakes. Most are harmless and will just slither away. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States and is second only to its cousins to the west, the prairie rattlesnake, as the most northerly distributed venomous snake in North America.

But Iowa is home to four venomous snakes that could end your outdoor endeavors with one bite! Iowa is a very safe state, the sixth safest state in the country to be exact! The timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake or banded rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to eastern North America. Hiking, camping, and fishing are very popular here in Iowa. Timber rattlers are found in the northeast among the Mississippi River bluffs and there's a small population near Winterset in central Iowa, Fogell said. And although timber rattlesnakes are rare to find in the state, the DNR said, there are more sightings in eastern and southern Iowa. Good news from the state of Iowa: there are rattlesnakes around! VENOMOUS Description: 18½ - 30 inches. Snakes. Two other types of rattlesnakes live in Iowa. That's right, this is good news.

9 Terrifying Things In Iowa That Can (And Just Might) Kill You. Iowa is home to 27 species of snakes. But, that doesn’t mean we are completely without danger here in Iowa. The following list of the reptiles of Iowa lists all of the snakes, turtles and lizards that are known to occur in the US State of Iowa.