Alabama is seeing an upsurge in rattlesnake sightings. They come into contact with humans more frequently as a result of their habitats becoming smaller, not because their numbers are growing.
Knowing your vipers before going is a smart idea, especially with the increase in reptile interactions.
Look out for big, thick-bodied snakes with triangular heads and a rattle on their tail when you’re hiking the trails, camping, or just taking in the stunning scenery of Alabama.
Alabama is home to three different kinds of rattlesnakes: the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus), the Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius), and the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus).
Cheaha State Park
The oldest and largest park in Alabama, Cheaha State Park encompasses the Appalachian Mountains, Talladega National Forest, and the Cheaha Wilderness. It is also home to the state’s highest point.
It is the ideal location for rattlesnakes to hunt, feed, reproduce, and hibernate because of its vast stretches of unspoiled wilderness and diverse ecosystems, which include forest, granite boulders, steep bluffs, and slopes studded with trees.
Regular programs are led by park rangers to inform guests about the area’s fauna, which includes the several snake species that live there. While there, if you spot a rattlesnake, note its location and let a ranger know so they can remove it safely.
Oak Mountain
At Oak Mountain State Park, which is close to Birmingham, there have been multiple reports of visitors getting bitten by rattlesnakes.
However, those who provoke or attempt to pick up the snake are typically involved in these interactions.
You can prevent unpleasant bites at the park by paying attention to your surroundings. Wear boots that cover your ankles when exploring the routes, be mindful of your footing, and avoid reaching into any dark nooks, such as between rocks, beneath logs, or in leaf litter.
Over 100 miles of hiking and bicycling trails, birding platforms, boardwalks, lakes, and more may be found in Oak Mountain, Alabama’s largest park.
The stunning beach at Double Oak Lake and the Treetop Interpretative Nature Trail are highlights.
Conecuh National Forest
Along the Alabama-Florida border, Conecuh National woodland offers some of Alabama’s best Coastal Plain habitat, including hardwood woodland and upland pine, among other habitats that are ideal for rattlers.
However, don’t let that stop you from exploring the park.
This picturesque preserve is a well-liked location for boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and camping. It includes the Open Pond Recreation Area and Blue Lake Recreation Area, two birdwatcher’s paradises.
You might spot larger animals like deer or wild turkeys in addition to birds. Keep an eye out for the group shelter at Open Pond, which was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Little River Canyon
Wood Rattlesnakes frequently inhabit the trails, riverbanks, and rocky sections of Little River Canyon National Preserve in the Southern Appalachians.
Lookout Mountain’s Little River runs alongside it, providing breathtaking vistas and lovely recreational spaces.
Forested uplands, waterfalls, bluffs and canyon rims, ponds, rocks, and sandstone cliffs are just a few of the diverse ecosystems found within the preserve.
It is against the law to hurt rattlesnakes, which are protected in the preserve. It is important for park visitors to keep their pets on leashes at all times and to stick to the specified routes.
Natchez Trace Parkway and National Scenic Trail
The Timber Rattlesnake, often called the Canebrake Rattlesnake, is one of more than 40 species of reptiles that may be found along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The parkway is a network of beautiful roads and trails that traces a historic route that was utilized by pioneers, European settlers, American Indians, and others to traverse the nation.
The distance between the Tennessee and Mississippi state lines in Alabama is 33 miles. Today, people visit the Trace to walk, cycle, horseback ride, or just take in the natural beauty and learn about its 10,000-year history.
Raccoon encounters are uncommon, although they are more likely to occur in wooded environments with water sources close by.
