Ticks and Fleas in Colorado's Mountain Counties: What You Need to Know This Season

If you've been spending time outside this spring — or your dog has — you may have already noticed something: ticks are out early, and they're everywhere. After one of the mildest winters in recent memory across the Pikes Peak region and the central Colorado mountains, conditions this year are favorable for higher-than-normal tick and flea activity — and reports from across the region are reflecting that.

At Chaney Pest Elimination, we've been serving families and businesses across Teller, Park, El Paso, Chaffee, and Fremont Counties for years. We know this landscape intimately — the ponderosa-covered hillsides of Woodland Park, the brushy meadows around Fairplay and Hartsel, the coulees and creek drainages near Salida and Buena Vista. And based on field observations across our service area, we can tell you: the mountain elevation that many local residents count on as a natural pest barrier is not the full story. Not this year, and not in general.

"But We're at High Elevation" — A Common Misconception

One of the most frequent things we hear from homeowners in Teller and Park Counties is: "We don't need to worry about fleas and ticks up here." It's understandable — Colorado's dry, cool climate at altitude does make conditions harder for some pests. But fleas and ticks are more resilient than most people realize.

According to Colorado State University Extension, there are 27 known tick species in Colorado — and they are well-established even at higher elevations. Ticks can survive and remain active at elevations up to 10,000 feet or more. The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, the species responsible for the vast majority of tick encounters in our state, is right at home in the mountain terrain that defines Teller, Park, and Chaffee Counties.

Fleas are somewhat more humidity-dependent, but Colorado is home to dozens of flea species, many of which are closely associated with the wildlife that shares our neighborhoods — rabbits, squirrels, foxes, skunks, and coyotes. If those animals pass through your property, fleas can come with them.

Why the 2024–2025 Winter Changed the Picture

A normal Colorado winter provides some natural suppression of flea and tick populations. Extended hard freezes slow development, reduce host activity, and interrupt reproductive cycles. But this past winter was anything but normal across the central Colorado mountains.

Mild temperatures, reduced snowpack, and abbreviated cold snaps mean that this year's tick and flea populations didn't take the seasonal hit they typically would. Ticks can remain active any time temperatures climb above roughly 40°F — and in a winter where we saw frequent warm stretches from Cañon City to Buena Vista, that threshold was crossed repeatedly.

The practical result: an earlier start to tick season in 2025, higher population densities going into spring, and fleas that may have overwintered in protected microclimates — including your crawlspace, shed, or the sunny south-facing slope where your dog loves to sun himself.

The Ticks You're Most Likely to Encounter

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni) — The most common tick in our service area by far. Active from early spring through June, it targets humans, dogs, deer, and livestock. It is the primary vector for Colorado Tick Fever and can also transmit tularemia. Despite what the name implies, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is actually rare in Colorado — but Colorado Tick Fever is not.

American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) — Also common across Colorado. As the name suggests, dogs are a preferred host. Peak activity aligns with spring and early summer.

Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) — Unlike other tick species, the Brown Dog Tick can complete its entire life cycle indoors. This makes it uniquely capable of establishing infestations inside homes, particularly where dogs are present. It's found in warmer pockets of our service area, including lower elevations in El Paso and Fremont Counties.

For a broader look at insects and pests we treat across our service area, including spiders, ants, and other Colorado invaders, visit our pest library on the website.

What about Lyme Disease? Lyme disease transmission in Colorado remains relatively rare, as the primary vector — the black-legged tick — has limited established populations here. However, tick-borne diseases nationally have been on a significant upward trend. Colorado Tick Fever is very much a real concern in our mountain counties, and Chaffee County Public Health has previously issued alerts about increased local tick activity and related illnesses. The CDC's tick-borne disease resources are a solid reference if you've been bitten and want to understand your risk.

Fleas: The Wildlife Connection

In mountain communities, most flea infestations have a wildlife source. The most common scenario we see: a rabbit den under your deck, a skunk denning near your crawlspace, or a fox trail cutting through your backyard. These animals carry fleas, which drop off into your yard, where your dog or cat picks them up.

Once fleas enter your home on a pet, they can establish a population quickly. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day. Eggs fall off your pet and into carpets, pet bedding, and furniture. The immature stages — larvae and pupae — can survive for months in protected areas. By the time you notice adult fleas, there's typically a much larger hidden population already established in your home.

This is also why rodent control matters for flea prevention. Mice and voles are flea hosts too. If you have an active rodent issue in your home or outbuildings, it can directly feed a flea problem. Addressing both together is always more effective than treating one in isolation.

Common flea-borne health concerns in Colorado include:

• Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) — An allergic reaction to flea saliva that causes intense itching and skin irritation in pets

• Murine Typhus — A bacterial disease transmissible from infected fleas to humans; rare in Colorado but worth knowing

• Bartonella (Cat Scratch Disease) — Transmitted when infected cats scratch humans

• Plague — Colorado does have plague-carrying fleas, primarily associated with prairie dog colonies. This is a genuine public health concern, particularly at the fringes of development where properties border open land in Park and Teller Counties

Protecting Your Yard: What Professional Treatment Actually Covers

This is an important conversation to have honestly. Professional flea and tick treatment focuses on the area immediately surrounding your home — your yard, landscaping, perimeter, and key pest harborage zones. We are not able to treat large acreage, open rangeland, or undeveloped forest. Any pest company telling you they can clear ticks from your back 40 acres isn't being straight with you.

Here's how Chaney's residential pest control process works:

First visit — A meticulous inspection of your home, including all living areas, basements, and garages. The team searches for and removes insect harborage areas, treats windows, doors, eaves, and 2 feet up and 6 feet out from your foundation, and seals entry points to prevent pests and rodents from getting in.

Ongoing visits — Each return visit includes a comprehensive barrier and perimeter application, with treatments targeted specifically to your pest situation. Between scheduled visits, Chaney will come back to address any issues at no additional charge.

The goal isn't to eliminate every pest on your entire property — that's not realistic for any service area, especially in mountain terrain bordering open land. The focus is on dramatically reducing populations in the areas where you, your kids, and your pets actually spend time, and keeping them down over time through consistent treatment and prevention.

We apply Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles — focusing on long-term prevention and choosing compounds that are safe for your family and pets. It's why customers keep choosing Chaney.

What You Can Do Between Professional Treatments

Professional treatment is most effective when paired with ongoing yard management on your end:

• Mow consistently. Ticks quest for hosts from the tips of grasses and low vegetation. Keeping your lawn short removes their hunting ground.

• Clear brush and leaf litter. Ticks and flea larvae thrive in decomposing organic matter. Remove debris piles, clear under decks, and rake out shaded corners.

• Create a buffer zone. If your property borders natural land, a 3-foot strip of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and the brush line creates a physical barrier ticks are reluctant to cross.

• Keep wildlife out. Seal openings under decks, porches, and crawlspaces. Motion-activated lights or sprinklers can deter deer, foxes, and other animals that serve as tick hosts.

• Talk to your vet. Yard treatment works best in combination with veterinarian-recommended flea and tick prevention for your pets. No yard treatment alone can fully substitute for pet-level protection.

• Do daily tick checks. After any time outdoors in vegetated areas, check your pets and yourself — paying close attention to the ears, groin, armpits, and behind the knees. Prompt removal of an attached tick — ideally within 24 hours — significantly reduces the risk of Lyme disease transmission and may help with other tick-borne diseases as well.

Have questions about treatment options or what to expect? Our pest control FAQ covers many of the most common questions we hear from homeowners across our service area.

Buying or Selling a Home? Don't Overlook Pest Inspections

Spring is also peak real estate season in Teller and Park Counties. If you're purchasing a mountain property — especially a cabin or rural home that has sat vacant — a thorough pest inspection is essential. Flea infestations from previous animal occupants can lie dormant for months in pupal stage, then hatch the moment warmth and vibration signal a new host has arrived. We've seen buyers move into a "clean" home and find themselves battling a full flea infestation within days of moving in.

Chaney offers real estate pest inspections for buyers, sellers, and realty professionals throughout the Pikes Peak region — with fast turnaround to fit transaction timelines.

Our Service Area: Teller, Park, El Paso, Chaffee & Fremont Counties

Chaney Pest Elimination provides flea and tick yard treatment services — as well as full-service residential and commercial pest control — across central Colorado, including:

• Teller County: Woodland Park, Divide, Florissant, Cripple Creek, Victor

• Park County: Lake George, Hartsel, Fairplay, Como, Jefferson

• El Paso County: Colorado Springs and surrounding communities

• Chaffee County: Salida, Buena Vista, Poncha Springs

• Fremont County: Cañon City and surrounding areas

Every property and pest situation is a little different. We start with a thorough inspection — identifying active harborage zones, assessing your yard's specific risk factors, and recommending a treatment plan suited to your situation. Learn more about John Chaney and our team and what sets us apart from larger, less personal pest control operations.

When to Call

If you're seeing ticks on your pets or yourself after time in the yard, finding fleas on your animals, noticing pets scratching excessively, or simply want to get ahead of what's shaping up to be an active pest season — don't wait. Early-season treatment is more effective and typically less intensive than addressing an established infestation.

Contact Chaney Pest Elimination at (719) 650-0246 or email chaneypestelimination@gmail.com to schedule an inspection.

We live and work in this region. We know these mountains, these pest pressures, and what actually works at altitude. Let's keep the ticks and fleas out of your yard — and off your family and your pets.

Chaney Pest Elimination is a licensed pest control operator serving Teller, Park, El Paso, Chaffee, and a portion of Fremont Counties in Colorado. All treatments are selected with regard for environmental safety and the health of your family and pets. Commercial pest control services are also available for businesses, rental properties, and other commercial accounts throughout our service area.

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