Tick Season Is Here: Where and What to Watch For in UT, WA, and ID

You can encounter 4 types of ticks in the Pacific Northwest, but only one of them is known to carry Lyme Disease.

Depending on the tick species, the diseases they carry can be viral, bacterial, or parasitic.

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Why You Won’t Get Lyme Disease From an Idaho Tick, But Maybe in UT or WA

We often hear about the dangers of tick bites and Lyme disease, but you’re more likely to get a different sickness in western states.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a more common side effect of tick bites. Of the four species of tick found in Idaho, Utah, or Washington, RMSF is found in three. Tularemia is common in two species, and Lyme disease is only spread by one.

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The Western Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes Pacificus) is the only species that carries Lyme disease in our area and is only found in Washington, Utah, California, Oregon, and Arizona.

Why Has Idaho Reported Cases of Lyme Disease From Ticks?

There are no ticks in Idaho that are known to carry Lyme Disease, but over the years, there have been cases reported in Idaho.

This is explained by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare:

The tick that carries Lyme disease is not known to live in Idaho. Even so, cases are tracked by where a person lives rather than where they were infected, and Idaho will report cases every year.

Tick bites are most common between May and September, and there have already been more than 20 reports in 2025 in Western States.

What Diseases Are Carried By Ticks in Utah, Washington, and Idaho?

Ticks in Western States commonly carry six different diseases, depending on the species. These are the ticks found in each state and which diseases they are known to carry.

• American Dog Tick, Dermacentor Similis - Tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Idaho and Washington
• Western Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes Pacificus - Anaplasmosis, Lyme Disease, and Hard Tick Relapsing Fever - Washington and Utah
• Brown Dog Tick, Rhipicephalus Sanguineus - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - Idaho, Utah, and Washington
• Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, Dermacentor Andersonl - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Tularemia - Idaho, Utah, Washington

Of the six diseases, all are bacterial except for Colorado Tick Fever, which is a viral disease. This gallery explains the sicknesses and side effects of each tickborne disease: