Any ideas on this snake type?

[Corporal_Dusty]

I ran across this guy on a hike in NY about 2 years ago. Just ran across my photos again and realized...I have no idea what kind of snake this is . Out of curiosity, anyone care to chime in with ideas? I've gone through tons of photos and nothing really stands out as to what this guy is.
Funny thing is...The whole hike through woods and around a nice lake, I didn't see any snakes. This guy was sunning himself about 100 feet from my car, right across the path to the parking lot. After a few minutes of pleading "please Mr. Snake can you move?", he started to move along, but I managed to snap this as we made our separate ways.

[Jefe]

Garter snake.

[Corporal_Dusty]

That's where my thinking was too in the back of my mind :-) Thanks Jefe. Cute little bugger, but I hate snakes lol.

[bwburgin1015]

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[bwburgin1015]

I concur...last post was a mistake!

[turtle fast]

Eastern Garter snake

[Wise Old Owl]

Sucks up mice fast - put one at each shelter!

[Rain Man]

... I hate snakes lol.

Snakes are our friends and signs of a healthy eco-system. We should be DELIGHTED they are around to keep the mouse and rat populations down.

Rain Man

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[moytoy]

Sucks up mice fast - put one at each shelter!

Yep..the best thing a hiker can find around a shelter is a big black 'rat' snake. Or around the house for that matter!

[bflorac]

Yep..the best thing a hiker can find around a shelter is a big black 'rat' snake. Or around the house for that matter!

Saw photo of a 6' one wrapped up in the rafters at Chestnut Shelter. The guy, sleeping in the bunk, woke up in the AM with it 6" from his face! Scared the s*** out of him.

[Pedaling Fool]

I'm sure this snake I saw in 2006 ate tons of rats/mice. No exaggeration it had to be between 7 - 8 ft long, but can't really tell in the pics, which I took from ~ 10 ft above him on somewhat of a rockpile.