Over the years I've had a number of close calls with rattlesnakes. Although I usually see only three or four rattlers in a typical year, I've been hiking enough years for this to add up to quite a few sightings! Often when I encounter a rattlesnake I'm several miles from my car and so I am extremely cautious since a snakebite under such circumstances could prove deadly, and certainly the possible loss of a limb would be devastating. Fortunately, most rattlesnakes provide plenty of warning, but there are cases where I see the snake before it sees me. The last thing I want to do while out hiking is to surprise a snake and put it in a situation where it feels that it has no choice but to defend itself with lethal force!

Although rattlesnakes are the main concern while hiking in the desert, the sighting of pretty much any snake produces an initial startle response. Once the snake is recognized I usually get out my camera and capture images of the creature, taking appropriate precautions as necessary. The main types of rattlesnakes found in the Death Valley area are Panamint Rattlers (Crotalus mitchelli stephani), and there are also Sidewinders (Crotalus cerastes) and occasional Mojave Greens (Crotalus scutulatus) to worry about. Non-venomous snakes in the region include mostly gopher snakes, rosy boas, and king snakes. The video embedded on this page features a number of snakes I've been able to capture on video while out hiking. For some pictures of snakes (and lizards), check out my Snakes and Lizards page. As the song says, "The moral of this story is always look around. Snakes may hide under rocks or be right out on the ground!"