I went for a hike in Deer Creek Canyon, southwest of Denver, this afternoon. I almost stepped on this young rattlesnake; I looked down and my shoe was about six inches from its head. Fortunately, it was stretched out full-length and unable to strike.
The pattern doesn’t seem quite right for a western diamondback, but perhaps this is because it is a juvenile.
Grace and Peace
GeoChristian 
Kevin,
That is what is known as a prairie rattler, not a Western diamondback.
They are smaller and not nearly as aggressive. We sometimes hunt the prairie rattler around here. There are tons of them at certain ideal locations. I’ve never seen less than 20 during an outing on any given summer afternoon. On one occasion I pounded on rocks with my extended crow bar (used to move rocks around from a distance) causing a cascade of rattling in all directions. The whole hillside just lit up. quite an experience. Their dens seem to honeycomb under dry, rocky bench areas right above valley floors in my part of the world.
Blessings,
Tim Martin
http://www.BeyondCreationScience.com
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