Tick Season in Nevada: Species, Disease Risks, and How to Protect Your Family

Nevada may be known for its desert landscapes and dry climate, but ticks are a very real presence across the state — and knowing when and where they strike can make a meaningful difference for your health and your family’s wellbeing.

Whether you’re hiking through the Sierra Nevada foothills, camping in the Great Basin, or simply spending time outdoors with your pets, understanding tick season in Nevada gives you the knowledge to enjoy the outdoors with confidence. This guide walks you through everything you need to know: when ticks are active, which species live here, the diseases they can carry, and exactly what to do if you find one.

Key Insight: Nevada’s arid climate limits tick populations compared to humid states, but ticks are still present and active — especially in higher-elevation, brushy, and wooded areas across the state.

When Is Tick Season in Nevada

Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months — generally April through September. That said, the timing can shift depending on elevation, recent weather, and the specific species you’re dealing with.

In Nevada, ticks tend to be most active during the warmer months of late spring through early fall. However, thanks to Nevada’s generally mild climate and the presence of wildlife that can carry these pests, ticks can remain a threat at any time of year — especially if they hitch a ride indoors.

Springtime is particularly active for adult ticks. As one Nevada entomologist explains, early spring is when “ticks are coming out, it is getting warmer, they are looking for a blood meal, so they get on top of the plants and wait until something comes by.”

Ticks in Nevada are most active in the early summer and fall months, with activity dropping off sharply during the hottest and coldest times of the year. This means mid-summer heat actually provides a brief window of reduced tick activity in the driest parts of the state, while spring and early fall remain the most important times to stay vigilant.

Ticks are usually dormant during the colder seasons and will start to wake up toward the end of May following snowmelt — and wet winters can actually mean a larger tick emergence in spring.

Pro Tip: Mark April through September on your calendar as peak tick awareness months in Nevada, but don’t fully let your guard down in the cooler months — especially if you’re in areas with abundant wildlife.

Types of Ticks Found in Nevada

There are four types of ticks in Nevada. Each species has its own preferred habitat, host animal, and level of risk to humans. Getting familiar with them helps you understand where to watch out and what to look for.

The most common tick in Nevada is the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick. You will typically find the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick in Nevada in higher elevation habitats, including meadows, shrubs, and lightly wooded areas.

The black-legged tick is the only type of tick in Nevada known to transmit Lyme disease. Fortunately, they’re extremely uncommon in Nevada. They’re mostly found in forested areas and prefer small to medium-sized hosts, like raccoons and deer.

Brown dog ticks live indoors. In Nevada, brown dog ticks are the only ticks that live indoors — meaning not even indoor environments are completely safe. These ticks have long, almost rectangular bodies and feed almost exclusively on canines. If your dog spends time outside and then comes back in, a brown dog tick can hitch a ride and establish itself in your home. To learn more about how ticks reproduce, understanding their life cycle can help you break the infestation cycle early.

The Rabbit Tick is found in forested habitats, including coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests in Nevada. This tick is found from spring through summer, and in the fall their numbers significantly decline. Rabbit Ticks usually don’t feed on humans, and disease transmission to humans is rare.

Important Note: Even tick species that rarely bite humans can still pose a risk in some circumstances. Always perform a full-body tick check after any outdoor activity, regardless of which species are most common in your area.

Tick-Borne Diseases in Nevada

In Nevada, ticks can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease, relapsing fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Colorado tick fever. These illnesses can be dangerous and can remain unnoticed for years. Knowing the signs and symptoms of each is an important part of staying safe.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is among the most serious tick-borne illnesses found in Nevada. It is a severe tick-borne illness with a mortality rate of over 20% if not treated early. Symptoms include high fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, and sometimes a rash. The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is the primary carrier in Nevada.

Lyme Disease is a growing concern, even in Nevada. Although instances of Lyme disease remain low in Nevada, the number of reported cases has been growing in recent years in Northern Nevada. In 2024, Washoe County saw a nearly 38% increase in reported Lyme disease cases from the previous year, from eight cases to 11. Reported cases have increased year-over-year since 2020.

Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected black-legged tick, which must be attached for 24 to 48 hours to spread the illness. Early signs include common influenza-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. For more in-depth information on a related neurological condition, you can read about tick-borne encephalitis and its potential complications.

The range of Lyme disease cases has expanded significantly since 1995 — including to places where people are less familiar with the risks. Milder winters and longer warm seasons have allowed ticks to expand their range, bringing Lyme disease to more areas.

Colorado Tick Fever and Tularemia are also present in Nevada. Diseases spread by ticks found in Nevada include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, Tularemia, Anaplasmosis, Borrelia, and Lyme disease.

After being bitten by a tick, there are several symptoms to look out for, and many tick-borne diseases share these symptoms. It’s crucial to see a doctor if you start feeling sick within a few weeks of a tick bite. Symptoms can include fever or chills, sore muscles or joints, and rashes.

Common Mistake: Many people dismiss early tick-borne illness symptoms as a cold or flu. If you’ve recently been in tick habitat and develop fever, rash, or joint pain, mention the potential tick exposure to your doctor right away — early treatment makes a significant difference in outcomes.

If you’re a dog owner, it’s also worth knowing about preventing tick-borne diseases in dogs, as pets face many of the same risks and can also bring ticks into your home.

High-Risk Areas and Habitats in Nevada

Because ticks prefer warm, humid environments, they aren’t as widespread in Nevada as they are in other parts of the United States. Nevada is simply too dry to sustain a large population of ticks. However, that doesn’t mean there are no ticks in Nevada. You’re most likely to encounter a tick in this arid state while exploring sagebrush-laden areas or regions with lots of bunchgrass.

Ticks are often found in areas with lots of brush, woods, or tall grasses, which means spending time outdoors can increase your chances of getting bitten. Knowing the specific environments to watch out for in Nevada helps you take targeted precautions.

• Higher-elevation mountain areas — The Sierra Nevada foothills and ranges in northern and western Nevada are prime Rocky Mountain Wood Tick territory, particularly in meadows and shrubby zones.
• Sagebrush and bunchgrass flats — Even in drier terrain, ticks can be present where wildlife such as deer, rabbits, and rodents are active.
• Wooded and forested zones — Black-legged ticks and Rabbit Ticks favor forested habitats, particularly in areas with dense vegetation and higher humidity.
• Riparian corridors and creek areas — Moist areas along streams and rivers provide the humidity ticks need to survive, making these zones higher-risk than surrounding desert.
• Hiking trails and campgrounds — Trails near Reno, Carson City, Lake Tahoe, and the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas see regular tick activity during peak season.
• Your own backyard — Although ticks thrive in tall grass and wooded areas, you may also find them in your backyard.

To reduce the risk of tick-borne disease, the Northern Nevada Public Health Department says it’s crucial to minimize contact with ticks and their habitats, particularly in areas with dense vegetation. Health officials “highly recommend that people be careful when they go out into wooded areas and go camping or hiking because they’re so easy to overlook.”

If you’re planning hunting trips in Nevada, be especially vigilant during tick season — activities like dove hunting in Nevada often take you right into brushy, grassy habitats where ticks are most active.

Pro Tip: When hiking, stay on the center of trails and avoid brushing against vegetation on the edges. Ticks don’t jump or fly — they wait on the tips of grasses and shrubs and latch on when you make contact.

How to Protect Yourself, Children and Pets During Tick Season in Nevada

Protecting yourself and your family from ticks doesn’t require avoiding the outdoors altogether. A combination of smart clothing choices, effective repellents, and post-outdoor habits significantly reduces your risk.

Protecting Yourself and Children

Recommended precautions include wearing long-sleeved shirts and closed-toe shoes, wearing permethrin-treated clothing, applying EPA-registered insect repellent to exposed skin, and performing daily tick checks.

1. Dress defensively — Wear long pants and long sleeves. Wear light-colored clothing, which allows you to spot ticks that might be attached.
2. Tuck in your clothing — Tuck pants into socks to minimize exposed skin and seal off areas where ticks can hide.
3. Use repellent — According to the CDC, repellents containing DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus are effective at fending off tick bites.
4. Shower promptly — Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and is a good opportunity to do a tick check. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting tick-borne diseases.
5. Do a full-body check — Examine your body for ticks in warm spots like underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, hair, groin, and waist.
6. Check clothing and gear — Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. Hot water is recommended for washing. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.

Protecting Your Pets

Tick bites on pets can be harder to detect. Vaccines are not available for most of the tick-borne diseases that pets can get, and they don’t keep pets from bringing ticks into your home. This makes daily checks and preventive treatments essential.

• Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors. If you find a tick on your pet, remove it right away.
• Speak to a veterinary clinic regarding a tick-preventative treatment for your pets.
• Topical and oral flea and tick medications, sprays, shampoos, and dips offer additional protection for pets. These products kill adult fleas and ticks and stop the development of larvae and eggs. Check with your pet’s veterinarian before using one of these products for the first time, particularly if your pet is very young, old, or has a chronic health condition.
• Keep pets secure to minimize exposure to high-tick areas such as tall grass and brush.

Reducing Ticks in Your Yard

You can also make your outdoor spaces less hospitable to ticks with a few simple habitat modifications:

• Remove piles of leaves and clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns.
• Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks from migrating into recreational areas.
• Mow the lawn frequently and stack wood neatly in a dry area to help discourage rodents — which are key tick hosts.

It’s also worth knowing that nature has its own tick control mechanisms. Learning about animals that eat ticks — like opossums, guinea fowl, and certain birds — can give you additional eco-friendly options for managing tick populations around your property.

Pro Tip: When checking children for ticks, pay extra attention to the scalp, behind the ears, around the neck, and behind the knees — areas that are easy to miss but where ticks commonly attach.

What to Do If You Find a Tick in Nevada

Finding a tick on yourself, your child, or your pet can feel alarming — but staying calm and acting quickly is the most important thing you can do. The sooner a tick is removed, the lower your risk of disease transmission.

Your risk for disease is very low if a tick has been attached for less than 24 hours, but it is important to monitor yourself for symptoms after you have been bitten.

Step-by-Step Tick Removal

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers — Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick.
2. Clean the bite area — After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
3. Dispose of or save the tick — Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. If you would like to bring the tick to your healthcare provider for identification, put it in rubbing alcohol or place it in a sealed bag or container.
4. Monitor for symptoms — Watch for fever, rash, muscle aches, or fatigue in the days and weeks following the bite. Residents who think they might have been bitten and notice any symptoms should contact a doctor right away.

Important Note: Do not use Vaseline, gasoline, alcohol, or burn the tick with a match. Do not turn the tick clockwise. These popular methods of removal can cause bacteria to be expelled into the host and increase the chance of infection. These methods should never be used.

If you’re unsure whether you’ve removed the entire tick, or if part of it remains embedded in the skin, contact your healthcare provider or veterinarian (for pets) right away. A tick bite may look like a small pinprick, a mosquito bite, or a red ring around the bite — so don’t dismiss unusual skin changes after outdoor activity.

If you see a tick crawling on your skin, remove it quickly. If it is already attached, you can use a tick removal tool, but it is best to talk to your doctor first.

Reporting Tick Bites and Tick-Borne Illness in Nevada

Nevada has active public health programs to monitor and respond to tick-borne illness. Reporting your tick bite or illness is not only good for your own health follow-up — it helps public health officials track tick populations and disease trends across the state.

Ongoing efforts — including tick surveillance programs and free tick ID services — aim to help residents stay informed and protected. Taking advantage of these resources is a straightforward step you can take after any tick encounter.

How to Report in Nevada

• Submit a tick for identification — If you find a tick, place it in a Ziploc bag, seal it, then place that bag inside a second sealed Ziploc bag. Testing is currently free for all Nevada residents, and all information is kept private.
• Contact your local health district — You may deliver the tick to the Environmental Health Services Office at the District Health Department for identification. In northern Nevada, the Washoe County Health District and Northern Nevada Public Health both offer tick identification services.
• Contact the Nevada Department of Agriculture — If you find a tick and want to know what kind it is, you can take it to the Department of Agriculture, which can test it and determine if it has Lyme disease. It’s best if you can put the tick in a jar and take it in alive.
• Report symptoms to your doctor — If you develop fever, rash, fatigue, or joint pain within weeks of a tick bite, tell your doctor about the exposure. Public health officials say the true number of cases may be higher due to underreporting. The disease can be difficult to track because symptoms mimic those of other diseases.
• Use the CDC’s online resources — The CDC’s tick resource page provides up-to-date guidance on symptoms, treatment, and reporting for all major tick-borne illnesses.

If you find a tick on your body, you can take it into the health district so they can test it for any diseases. This is a free and easy step that also contributes to statewide tick surveillance data.

Key Insight: Nevada’s Carson City Health and Human Services actively asks residents to help track ticks in the area. Participating in tick surveillance programs is one of the most meaningful ways you can contribute to community health while also getting answers about your own tick encounter.

Staying informed, acting quickly after a bite, and connecting with your local health department are the three most effective steps you can take. Nevada’s tick risk is real but manageable — and the more the community reports, the better prepared public health officials are to respond to emerging threats like the rising Lyme disease trend in Northern Nevada.