There's one road in the world that has closed every year, twice a year, for over 50 years, all in the name of snakes.
Hey, SEMO-based explorers!
Snake Road is a 2.5-mile gravel road in the LaRue-Pine Hills Area of the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. And when I say the road closes, I mean it closes to everything but foot traffic, so put on your walking shoes.
Snake Road looks like a normal gravel road. But when you walk along it, you'll likely see snakes on the move as they relocate between their winter dens in the cliffs and summer feeding grounds in the swamp.
According to Outside Magazine (yes, that Outside Magazine), thousands of serpent superfans arrive from all over the U.S. each fall to experience this natural phenomenon that has also been featured in the prestigious Nat Geo.
Visitors may see over 20 species of snakes, including the timber rattlesnake, cottonmouth, and copperhead. Last October, we saw over 15 cottonmouths. I was nervous the first time we went. I didn't know what to expect. Would the road be flooded with a constant stream of snakes? Not at all.
The experience is to simply walk along a gravel road and see what you see. Sometimes there's a snake on the road. Sometimes beside it. Sometimes in the swamp. You never have to go off road, and in fact, you shouldn't. And because you're on a road, it's easy to watch where you step and avoid any unwanted surprises. I was relieved to find that each snake was hyper-focused on its mini migration mission and had zero interest in interacting with me.
October is the best month for this slithery safari experience.
Resources:
LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road Guide
Illinois Snake Road Closed for Annual Reptilian Crossing
Snake Migration
LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road | Facebook
Walking LaRue Pine Hills Snake Road
