Where have you seen Rattle snakes on the AT?

[ChuckP]

Not to scare anyone, but you would think rattlers would habituate shelters as they are full of their dietary staple: mice.

[Crabapple]

3 in NC, 2 in VA, 1 in NY

Could we do this same poll for Copperhead snakes? How common/uncommon are they? I once saw a mom and babies in a rock crack at a small look-out south of Devil's Racecourse Shelter in MD.....and that was on my fourth day of the trail.

[gunner76]

Found two cane break rattlers in my garage a few years ago...does that count ?

I took them out into the local NF and released them.

[tim.hiker]

Not to scare anyone, but you would think rattlers would habituate shelters as they are full of their dietary staple: mice.

Thanks. lol I always worry about that even tho I am not scared of snakes, waking up with you would cause me to crap my shorts..

[tim.hiker]

Thanks. lol I always worry about that even tho I am not scared of snakes, waking up with you would cause me to crap my shorts..

*** waking up with one

[RockDoc]

Hawk Mtn, Penn, 1974. Killed it and took it to the next shelter where we skinned it and cooked it on a stick. We convinced a bunch of Boy Scouts that it tasted really good (it was awful). They ate most of it. We also talked them out of some of their freeze dried food.
Yes young (17) long distance hikers can have a strange sense of humor. Too many hours walking in the woods...

[r2davis65]

Two big boys near Tray Mountain Shelter in late May 2015.

[ChrisJackson]

Saw one today just north of Low Gap in Georgia. Saw one about three weeks ago going up Cowrock Mtn after Tesnatee Gap. (Both were rattlesnakes).

[map man]

I'd never seen any in a decade of backpacking in various parts of the country, and then I saw two in the same day (May 20, 2015) about an hour apart in the last few northbound miles before I got to Hot Springs, NC on a section hike. My attitude toward rattlesnakes is the same as for all the other reptiles or mammals I've come across in the wild -- that I am a visitor in their home. In the case of both rattlesnakes I waited for them to move out of striking distance and I continued hiking. You go your way and I'll go mine, as Bob Dylan once sang.

[fboggess]

Anything of concern from Max Patch to Hot Springs. I will be out there in a few days and checking in.


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[Gambit McCrae]

I have since learned that there are snakes of danger, and rattlesnakes as well pretty much from beginning to end. Although I have done over 700 miles of the AT (688 + some repeats) and have never seen a rattle snake, but have hiked in less rural areas and seen them in TN and NC both.

[jersey joe]

One day I saw two in a row in NJ. Not coincidentally, just south of rattlesnake mountain.

[Etoryn]

One near the housatonic river in CT a timber rattlesnake

[u.w.]

Saw my first one on my most recent section hike, from Pearisburg to Troutville (7/2 - 7/6). It was up on the ridge walk between Keffer Oak and Niday Shelter. Got a few photos, and went around it - leaving it well enough alone. Was beautiful though




and it's backside after I'd gone around to continue north


u.w.

[carouselambra]

Saw two this weekend between Highway 60/Buena Vista and Waynesboro. First one was just north of Salt Log Gap. My son and I were walking and all of the sudden the rattle lit up. It was a large one coiled up about 8-10 feet off the trail with the head cocked and the rattle up high. We took an arc just off the trail and did not stick around long enough to take a picture or video. It rattled until we were ten yards or so past. Our first experience with that and it was startling. The second one was at the Paul Wolfe shelter. At about 9:30pm we decided to walk to find a clearing to see the stars better and between our tent site and the shelter was a 2.5'-3' rattler slowly making its way across the main path. We are glad we had our headlamps on.

[Lnj]

I'd never seen any in a decade of backpacking in various parts of the country, and then I saw two in the same day (May 20, 2015) about an hour apart in the last few northbound miles before I got to Hot Springs, NC on a section hike. My attitude toward rattlesnakes is the same as for all the other reptiles or mammals I've come across in the wild -- that I am a visitor in their home. In the case of both rattlesnakes I waited for them to move out of striking distance and I continued hiking. You go your way and I'll go mine, as Bob Dylan once sang.

May I ask what is considered "striking distance"? For future reference, of course....

[swisscross]

May I ask what is considered "striking distance"? For future reference, of course....

Typically 1/2 their body length.

[Traveler]

May I ask what is considered "striking distance"? For future reference, of course....

Swiss is pretty accurate. I use a measurement thats not defined by the snake, but defined by my own comfort. If I don't feel comfortable at a given distance, I give it a little more. The 10 foot rule suits me fine, but thats a little overboard.

[Lnj]

So here's a question..... if you are walking along a narrow trail with green ground cover on both sides and hear the rattle, but see nothing, do you keep walking, knowing it is near and probably on the side of the trail and hope you are out of striking distance, or do you stop and try to guesstimate where it is and go the other way?

[Just Tom]

If you are close enough for it to rattle, don't go forward. It is rattling for a reason...