Close Encounters with Wildlife

Whenever possible, I do all my trail running and mountain biking on the trails at my local park. Since the park is part of the large regional park district, the area is a preserve for plants and wildlife. I've seen countless turkey vultures, rabbits, geese, wild turkeys, and even a dear or two. However, being in California, one thing you must always be on the look for, especially on sunny days, are snakes.

Yesterday I was running down one of the trails on my usual route when I encountered a three-foot snake stretched across the trail. From a short distance it was difficult to tell if it was a rattlesnake or the harmless gopher snake. Fortunately, it was the gopher snake so I was able to safely pass by. I've added a couple of pictures here for your comparison.

I've seen many other gopher snakes over the years, but this was the first that I had to hop over. I've also come way too close to a rattle snake coiled and defending its territory.

In my park, there have been lots of deer, snakes, and even mountain lions. This is just a reminder to all the other trail adventures out there; always keep you eyes open. Most of these parks are still very wild, and contain lots of wild and potentially dangerous animals. Here is a link to help you identify dangerous snakes in California.