05/31/2026
Hotter days are upon us, and with them come our misunderstood friends, the snakes 🐍.
Last week our Open Space Manager encountered different species of snake at both the Knapp Land and Lost Dog properties. Because she practiced the very important 6th Principle of the Leave No Trace values: Respect Wildlife, she was able to enjoy watching these beautiful creatures in their native habitat from a safe distance.
While the first neighbor, a bull snake, in slides 1-3 appears frightening during their “S stance,” it is doing a great job of bluffing as it is 😃nonvenomous😃. It would rather spend its energy hunting rodents, lizards and even eggs instead of approaching a passer-by.
The striped snake in slides 4 and 5 is our native banded rock rattlesnake, who is ‼️venomous‼️ and should be given a wide, respectful distance if sighted. It, too, would rather hunt small mammals instead of risk approaching a hiker on the trail.
These creatures are an important part of our natural spaces and a blessing to witness sharing our wild spaces with us. Keep an eye out for them on your next visit.
See you out there! 🥾
