River Mountains Loop Trail

SNAKES….SNAKES ON THE TRAIL

 

Western Diamondback snake —file photo

 

We  get many reports from trail users about snakes on the trail; most are rattle snakes some are gopher snakes.  All snakes are part of the wildlife scene along the trail.  Please leave them be.  It was a very wet winter and spring thus more snakes are about.  Our rattler friends are seen early morning on the trail as they lay in sun and warm up and late evening again on trail to keep warm.   We have the Western diamondback, Sidewinder, and the Mojave Green frequenting the areas along the trail.

Mojave Green Rattle snake – file photo

I had a report of a rattler 38″ long on the trail this past weekend…..I’m curious how they got the snake to lay out so they could get that measurement without getting bitten.   Oh, well a snake that long could be a Mojave green which are very poisonous.  A Mojave looks much like a diamondback but has  greenish hue and the diamonds fade out near the tail, not that I’m going to stick around and find out.

Every year we hear about dogs getting bitten near the trail; the primary reason is they are off leash. Protect your dogs by keeping them safe on leash.

Snakes of the River Mountains

Are there snakes on the trail?  What type of snakes do you have here?  YES…we have snakes in the River Mountains…and along the trail and even on the trail from time to time. We have Rattlesnakes, several varieties such as Western Diamondback, the Southwest Speckled and the Sidewinder.  You see Gopher snakes, lizards, and horny toads, too.  You’ll see the snakes early morning and early evening to dark.  Rattlesnakes usually give you plenty of warning….just back away and leave them alone. 

One day last fall while picking up trash along the trail with my grippers, up near the powerlines at Railroad Pass, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake. I think he was a Speckled about 30″ long.  Needless to say that piece of trash is still there today. And yes, it gave me warning, but not as much as I would have liked.  

Western Diamondback

Western Diamondback

 

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