Description: 20 - 30 inches. Western Ribbon Snakes are black in color overall, with an orange colored stripe down the center of the back, and a light yellow or white stripe down each side on the third and fourth rows of scales. The area between the strips may be dashed with color matching the the color of the stripes on the sides. The belly is light colored with no pattern, and the lips have have no black bars.

Similar Species: Common Garter Snakes have stripes on the second and third rows of scales. Plains Garter Snakes have stripes on the third and fourth rows of scales, but have dark vertical bars on the lips.