Adults are light yellowish brown and may be tinged with orange-red, with dark blotches on the back and smaller blotches on the sides. The underside of the tail and the belly are the same light color of sandy gray. There is a dark line extending from the upper jaw through the eye. The scales are keeled , and there are 25 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round.
Juveniles are grayish with dark blotches .
Side view of southern hognose snake's head. Rick Owen photo. Underside of tail and body are the same color. Rick Owen photo. Uncommon to rare, but occassionally found throughout northern Florida south to Lake Okeechobee.