I am aware that there are timber rattlesnakes in the area – my high-school girlfriend managed to grab one while climbing in the Catskills, thinking it was a root, and feeling its warm soft flesh threw it away from her before getting a bite. I’ve done a few landscaping jobs in the Shawangunks where I was warned that rattlesnakes frequented the property. But I never actually came across a rattlesnake before, not even in Arizona, and so it was quite a thrill to be hiking in Minnewaska State Park the other day and find one leisurely crossing the path. The snake’s motion was slow and stately and garnered quite a bit of attention from passing hikers. It was quite beautiful and surprisingly golden in color (my camera lies a bit when it comes to colors).
The Catskills is mostly too cold for such snakes, but the Gunks have them, and I’m told there are three rattlesnake dens – where they spend their winters – in the warmer parts of the Catskills, on Overlook Mountain, Mount Tremper, and near Vernooy Kill Falls. With all this global warming, I thought maybe a rattler or two in my garden might help with the chipmunk problem, but in the end a cat or weasel is probably a better idea.
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They scare the hell out of me. I came across one in Harriman State Park and it ended my hike by blocking the trail.
I’ve seen timber rattlesnakes on Overlook Mt. and in the eastern Adirondacks and the Taconics. They really are beautiful. I love watching them and have seen many dozens over the years. Never once has any rattler ever acted aggressively towards me. I’ve found that just keeping alert and moving slowly through areas with heavy rattlesnake populations has kept surprises to a minimum.