Where have you seen Rattle snakes on the AT?

[Traveler]

The rattlesnakes I have crossed slithers with start rattling when they get concerned I was too close to them and continued for a while. When that happens I stop dead and use the rattle to locate it, which I have usually been able to fairly quickly, but they blend in so well to their surroundings it can take a few minutes. I will then back away and if I can move around it safely I will, otherwise I wait for it to move off on its own.

Where I tend to keep a sharp eye out is at the edge of the trail where there is some light huckleberry or brush overhanging rocks the sun is hitting. They will sometimes coil up there to warm up and can be very difficult to spot if they don't rattle (some won't).

[Tuckahoe]

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.

Just about three weeks back now, it was along this section that I saw my first two rattlesnakes.

Three of us left camp in the area of Seely-Woodsworth Shelter and were heading to Cow Camp Gap for the night. A few miles up the trail I was a couple hundred yards ahead of my two buddies and when I got to Wolf Rocks I thought it was a perfect spot to wait for them to catch up, and once they did we figured it was a perfect spot to take a break.

Brian walks over to the rocks and after a few moments comes back and said we should check it out, that there was a neat cove formed by the rocks. Hunter and I walk back into the rocks, and Brian was right, but the surrounding rocks of the cove blocked what looked to be a great view. I climbed up the rocks and the view was awesome. Looked down at Hunter and told him he needed to climb up for the view. Problem was the top of the rock was too narrow for even just myself, so I jumped over the laurel growing out of a crevice to a wider perch, back stopped by another large rock.

And! That is when I saw my first rattlesnake. There I am mid-jump looking down and seeing a coiled up pissed off rattler rattling away... and he aint tiny. All I could do was tell Hunter to just get out of there and go to our packs. I really didnt have to tell him, he saw and heard the snake as he was starting to come up the rock.

At that moment those rattles surely sounded like one of the Navy's electric guns... bbbbzzzzzzzz

So there I am standing on a ledge, with my back to a six foot rock and a snake between me and the way out. All I could do was wait, and he slithered off, but I kept hearing a rattle. Brian comes up to access the situation and takes a lok and spots a second rattler stretched out under the laurel still looking at me and rattling away. All I can do is keep calm and wait, and while waiting Brian CAREFULLY searches out a back way out and fiund his way up to the top of the rock behind me.

After what seemed like forever but more like 10 minutes, the second snake finally turns and goes away and as quickly as I cojld and with Brian's help I pulled myself up that rock. We got out of there, grabbed our packs and quickly hiked on down the trail, laughing about me almost getting myself "killed" and Hunter begging us not to mention the snakes to his mom... (he told his mom anyway).

Truth be told though, there was nothing to be scared of. I mean there I was getting to see what is trurly a beautiful and stunning creature and this was my first time seeing and hearing one, and all I had to do was stay calm and relaxed and it would be all good.

[Dewman]

I've been hiking the AT for over 20 years now, mainly in TN, NC, and GA, and just saw my first rattlesnake back in July. This bad boy was taking a nap 10 minutes north of Dick's Creek Gap.

IMG_5913.jpg

It took me a good minute to get him to wake up (there was no easy way to go around him because of the steep slope) and when he did wake up, he was understandably cranky.

I "persuaded" him to move by tapping my hiking poles on the ground until he was like, All right; all right, I'm up!

Unfortunately for both of us, while he moved several feet off the trail, it was uphill. Because of the steep slope, he was 3 vertical feet up from the trail, but less than a foot horizontally from me as I passed. We warily eyed each other as I passed, hiking poles betwixt he and me (as if that would've helped should he have decided to strike!)

[saltysack]

Walked up on this timber rattler about 10 miles south of hot springs,nc this summer...moved off the trail with trekking pole.


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[AtWokman]

There WAS one at deep gap shelter. About 4 and a half footer.
Sorry.
I gave the rattler to my son he's 7.
Now I'm the coolest dad ever.(at least to him)

[saltysack]

There WAS one at deep gap shelter. About 4 and a half footer.
Sorry.
I gave the rattler to my son he's 7.
Now I'm the coolest dad ever.(at least to him)

I'm not into snakes but killing them is dumb...they are one of the few things that eat the nasty disease carrying mice that live around the shelters. I believe it's illegal to kill timber rattlers....


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[August W.]

I'm not into snakes but killing them is dumb...they are one of the few things that eat the nasty disease carrying mice that live around the shelters. I believe it's illegal to kill timber rattlers....

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Unfortunately it is not illegal to kill timber rattlers in GA..... insulting and pathetic as it may be. I'm not into snakes either but I'm all for keeping the "wild" in wilderness.

[saltysack]

Unfortunately it is not illegal to kill timber rattlers in GA..... insulting and pathetic as it may be. I'm not into snakes either but I'm all for keeping the "wild" in wilderness.

I thought I read they were protected? Maybe it was in NC? I really dislike snakes but realize they serve a vital role in nature.... Especially with all the rat traps "shelters" man has built in the wildernesses along the AT......not opening that can of worms again!!! Blow up the shelters along the AT!!!!


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[Sandy of PA]

Timber Rattlers are protected in PA.

[Traveler]

I guess being cool is more important than showing a 7 year old how best to manage encounters with snakes and other wildlife. Good job.

[earlyriser26]

I have been hiking the AT since 1969. I have hiked most of it. Saw my first rattlesnake last month in VA about 8 miles south of Rockfish gap.

[4eyes]

I saw two in the Smokies...one gigantic one right in the middle of the trail. He wasn't wanting to move, so needless to saw I blue blazed around him.

[4eyes]

I saw two in the Smokies...one gigantic one right in the middle of the trail. He wasn't wanting to move, so needless to saw I blue blazed around him.

to say, not saw. My bad.