Alabama hiker photographs massive rattlesnake expertly camouflaged on state park trail

An Alabama man hiking a popular state park trail last month stopped short when a large rattlesnake slid across the path in front of him, a close encounter he recorded and later photographed.

David Graves, a photographer, was hiking the 4.3-mile King's Chair Loop at Oak Mountain State Park in late August, hoping to catch a sunrise, when he came face-to-face with a thick-bodied snake estimated at about three feet long. He filmed the reptile moving slowly across the dirt trail before it disappeared into undergrowth, then followed at a distance to where it settled among leaves and sticks and took a photo that shows how well the animal blended into its surroundings. "When hiking, I'm looking 10 feet ahead of me," Graves told David Simpson of WVTM News. "Bonus is knowing almost every detail of the trail since hiking it over 400 times."

Graves shared the footage and photo with local media and the video posted to Simpson's Instagram attracted dozens of comments, with viewers expressing shock at how difficult the snake was to spot and noting the animal's robust size. "It's definitely well fed!" one commenter wrote. Another said the snake was easy to miss even after multiple looks: "I thought I saw him in 2-3 spots. Neither was the rattlesnake. Really scary!"

Alabama is home to three rattlesnake species: the eastern diamondback, the timber rattlesnake and the pygmy rattlesnake. The eastern diamondback is the state's largest and most venomous and is more commonly encountered in Florida and southern Georgia, though timber rattlesnakes also occur in the region. Officials and wildlife agencies caution hikers to give wild snakes space and not to handle them.

The Oak Mountain encounter comes amid other recent, sometimes deadly, snake incidents in the Southeast. In a separate incident last month, a man was found dead about a half-mile down a hiking trail at Savage Gulf State Park in Tennessee after being bitten by a timber rattlesnake that he had picked up, Grundy County officials said. Paramedics performed CPR at the scene and the man was transported to a hospital, where he later died. Matthew Griffith of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency told Fox News Digital that it was believed the hiker experienced an allergic reaction, though full details of the cause of death were not released.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency describes the timber rattlesnake as a large, heavy-bodied snake — typically 36 to 60 inches long — with a broad triangular head, vertical pupils and the characteristic rattle on the tail. Timber rattlesnakes are among the largest venomous snakes found in Tennessee and southeastern states and kill prey with a venomous bite delivered through specialized fangs.

Venomous snakebites in the United States result in roughly 7,000 to 8,000 reported bites each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; an average of about five deaths occur annually. Wildlife and public-safety officials reiterate that most bites occur when humans attempt to handle or kill snakes, or accidentally step on or come too close to concealed animals.

Graves said his familiarity with the trail and habit of watching the ground ahead helped him avoid a dangerous encounter. His images and video serve as a reminder of how well snakes can blend into their environments on forested trails and of the potential risks hikers can face in wildland areas.