An Alabama man hiking through the scenic trails of a state park was stopped in his tracks by a massive, nearly unrecognizable rattlesnake.
David Graves, a photographer, was hiking the 4.3-mile King’s Chair Loop at Oak Mountain State Park last month, hoping to find some morning zen and take in the calming views of a late August sunrise, as reported by ForTheWin.
But in a split second, he found himself face-to-face with a terrifyingly plump, three-foot rattlesnake slithering straight across the trail in front of him.
His close encounter with the massive reptile was caught on video, showing the thick-bodied snake slowly gliding across the dirt path before disappearing into the surrounding woods and greenery.
When asked by David Simpson of WVTM News how he managed to stop before colliding with the enormous snake, Graves gave an answer worthy of a seasoned hiker.
‘When hiking, I’m looking 10 feet ahead of me,’ Graves said. ‘Bonus is knowing almost every detail of the trail since hiking it over 400 times.’
Before continuing his hike, Graves carefully followed the snake to its resting place among the foliage – a nearly impossible task given how well it blended into the surroundings.
Graves captured a photo that perfectly demonstrated the snake’s expert camouflage – at first glance, it looked like nothing more than dirt, plants, and a few scattered red leaves.
David Graves, an Alabama man hiking through the scenic trails of a state park, was stopped in his tracks by a massive, nearly unrecognizable rattlesnake (pictured)
Graves captured a photo showcasing the snake’s expert camouflage – at first glance, it appeared to be just dirt, plants, and scattered red leaves, but if you look closely at the lower half, you’ll see the snake’s head peeking out from the foliage (pictured)
However, hidden beneath one of the red leaves on the right side of the frame is the snake’s head, subtly emerging from the foliage – perfectly blended into the dirt and sticks where it had nestled itself.
The video, shared to Simpson’s Instagram late last month, quickly racked up dozens of comments – from viewers shocked they couldn’t spot the snake, to others expressing pure fear over its healthy physique.
‘Its definitely well fed!’ one comment read.
Another wrote: ‘I thought I saw him in 2-3 spots. Neither was the rattlesnake. Really scary!’
‘It’s definitely healthy!’ added a third.
‘He’s right about keeping an eye on the ground at all times!’ wrote another.
Alabama is home to three distinct rattlesnake species: the fierce eastern diamondback, the elusive timber rattlesnake, and the tiny – but deadly – pygmy rattlesnake.
Among them, the eastern diamondback reigns as the state’s largest and most venomous serpent.
Graves, a photographer, encountered the snake when he was hiking the 4.3-mile King’s Chair Loop at Oak Mountain State Park (pictured) last month, hoping to find some morning zen and take in the calming views of a late August sunrise
Graves’ close encounter with the massive reptile was caught on video, showing the thick-bodied snake slowly gliding across the dirt path before disappearing into the surrounding woods and greenery (pictured)
Though infamous in Alabama, the eastern diamondback is more commonly found basking in the wilds of Florida and southern Georgia.
Last month, a hiker was killed by the rattlesnake’s venomous bite while walking through a Tennessee state park.
The male victim, who was not identified, was discovered at Savage Gulf State Park, about 95 miles from Nashville.
According to officials, he was found a half-mile down the hiking trail.
Officials stated that the hiker had picked up the snake, which was identified as the evasive Timber rattlesnake.
‘It is believed that the hiker had an allergic reaction, however full details of [the] actual cause of death have not been released,’ Matthew Griffith of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency told Fox News Digital.
Paramedics performed CPR at the scene before transporting the hiker to the hospital, where he was later declared dead.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Timber rattle snake is ‘a large, heavy-bodied snake (36.0 to 60.0 inches long) with a large, triangular head, vertical pupils, and the characteristic rattle at the end of the tail.’
They are the largest and most dangerous of the four venomous snake species found in Tennessee.
The snake kills its prey ‘by a venomous bite, in which the venom is injected by fangs located in the snake’s mouth.’
In the US, about 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes every year, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, only about five of them die annually.
