Snakes
Only two of the 23 snakes in Great Smoky Mountains
National Park have venomous properties: the timber rattlesnake, which
may range to 6,000 feet in places where the original forest has been
disturbed, and the copperhead of the low and middle altitudes. In the
Smokies, rattlesnakes rarely exceed a length of 4 feet, although reports
of specimens more than 5 feet in length have been received. Chipmunks,
red squirrels, gray squirrels, cottontails, and mice have been found in
the stomachs of these snakes.
The common water snake is well named. It is found in all the lower
altitude streams, where it preys mostly upon fishes and frogs.
Courtesy, Isabelle Hunt Conant.
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Hikers may cover hundreds of miles of park trails and
fail to encounter a single rattlesnake, yet this species can hardly be
regarded as scarce or rare. If you should encounter a rattlesnake while
hiking in the park, the chances are it will attempt to get out of your
way. If it should hold its ground, usually coiled and "buzzing," you can
readily cause it to become more reasonable by the use of a fairly long
stick. These heavy-bodied, slow-moving serpents are not aggressive.
Danger from snakebite is greatest if you leave the trail in a region
where there are rocky outcrops. In that case, be on the alert and look
where you place your feet or your hands.
It is also important to remember that these two kinds
of poisonous snakes may be active both day and night during the warmest
part of the summer, and hikers should use flashlights or lanterns if
walking about after dark.
Copperheads, although they do not occur as high in
the mountains as rattlesnakes, often are found in the same kind of
situations, and the two species are known to hibernate together. A
smaller snake than the rattler, the copperhead may be identified quite
readily by the hourglass pattern repeated along the length of its body.
Copperheads are more secretive than rattlesnakes; a favorite haunt is in
the immediate vicinity of an old sawdust pile.
Rocky woodlands and old fields are favorite haunts
of the black racer. Courtesy, Roger Conant.
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The largest of the 21 nonpoisonous snakes in the park
include the pilot black snake, black racer, pine snake, common king
snake, and corn snake. Of that number, the latter three are among our
most handsomely marked serpents. Our smallest snakes include the worm
snake, ground snake, DeKay's snake, red-bellied snake, crowned snake,
and ring-necked snake. The rarest snakes in the park include the mole
snake, scarlet snake, black king snake, scarlet king snake, queen
snake, and the crowned snake. Still to be mentioned, in order to
complete the list of Great Smoky Mountains National Park snakes, is the
eastern hognose snake, eastern milk snake, rough green snake, common
water snake, and common garter snakethe last two being, in all
probability, the most abundant species in the area.
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