06/16/2025
It’s tick season in Colorado! 🕷️
Ticks are most active in spring and early summer but can be found year-round—even at elevations up to 10,000 feet! ⛰️ Some can carry diseases like Colorado tick fever, relapsing fever, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The best way to prevent tickborne illnesses is to prevent tick bites.
🛡️ Prevent tick bites while outdoors:
● Wear long sleeves, tall socks, and light-colored clothing
● Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants
● Consider wearing EPA-approved repellents
● Walk in the center of trails—avoid tall grasses, brush, and logs
● Check yourself, kids, and pets every few hours
● Ask your veterinarian about tick prevention for pets
🔍 After your adventure:
● Do a full-body tick check (don’t forget underarms, behind the knees, between the legs, in and around the ears, in the belly button, around the waist, and in the hair)
● Shower within 2 hours
● Inspect clothes, gear, and pets
🐾 Found a tick? Remove it safely:
● Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure
● Do not twist or jerk the tick, it can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin
● Disinfect the area and wash your hands
❌ Do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, dish-soap, or nail polish to remove ticks. They are generally not effective and may increase the risk of infection.
Stay safe and enjoy nature with confidence! Learn more about tick safety at nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/tick-safety
