Rattlesnakes Return to Popular Woodstock, NY Hiking Trail

It's that time of year! Time for the rattlers to make their big return to the Hudson Valley.

Yes, we are aware that Timber Rattlesnakes are native to parts of the Hudson Valley and Catskills. That in turn, makes hiking across the region thrilling. As the smoke cleared and the sun came out, Hudson Valley outdoor enthusiasts hit the trails over the weekend like Overlook Mountain.

Fun fact about Overlook, well...it's a rattlesnake preserve. At the trailhead, you'll be met with this sign:

Stephen Every hiked Overlook Mountain in Woodstock on Saturday, June 10th along with hundreds of other hikers and snapped the photo below. He came across 2 rather large serpents with rattlers attached. You can immediately identify what type of snakes they are in the photo below:

Yup, those are Timber Rattlesnakes. He tells us he's hiked Overlook a few times but "this was the first time I could get a decent shot of any. Thank the rangers too who were up there trying to keep everyone safe."

READ MORE: My Almost Rattlesnake Encounter at Overlook Mountain

This isn't a post to discourage hikers or scare them off, it's acting more of a friendly heads-up to keep your head down when hiking Overlook Mountain. According to the DEC "Timber rattlesnake have an active season that runs from late April until mid-October. In Northern New York, emergence is often delayed until mid-May. Upon emerging from the den, they are rather lethargic and spend most of their time under cover or basking under partly cloudy to sunny skies."

Needless to say, it's perfect rattlesnake weather. Have you ever had a rattlesnake encounter? Where? What'd you do?! Let us know!

Not only do rattlesnakes call Woodstock, New York home but so did a handful of celebrities: