Hiking is a great way to spend some time, but there's always a chance you'll run into wildlife that would best be avoided.
David Graves, a hiker in Central Alabama, had one such encounter when he ran into a massive rattlesnake slithering across the trail he was on in Oak Mountain Park, according to WVTM13.
Jason Simpson, the chief meteorologist for WVTM13, shared a video that Graves took of the snake with his Facebook audience and wrote, "While marking the trail for tomorrow morning's sunrise hike to Kings chair at Oak Mountain State Park spotted this over 3 foot long rattlesnake."
World Atlas lists Oak Mountain as one of the most rattlesnake-abundant areas in Alabama. It also points out that rattlesnake sightings in the state have increased in recent years as the snakes' habitats shrink, so coming across one in this area isn't uncommon.
However, this one was a surprisingly rotund rattlesnake and can be seen in the video making its way off the side of the trail to the foliage below. Following that, the video switched to a still image of the snake blending into its surroundings, with a circle drawn around it and the text, "Would you have spotted this?"
Simpson also shared that he had asked Graves how he had spotted the snake on the trail, since it blended in so well.
Graves replied that after hiking this trail over 400 times, he knew every inch of it, making the rattlesnake more noticeable. He also explained that while hiking, he always looks at least 10 feet ahead to see what's coming next.
Simpson's Facebook audience was shocked by the rattlesnake's appearance.
"Big man has been eating good! That's a good sign of a healthy ecosystem within the park," one person exclaimed.
Others were much more wary of the snake, like the Facebook user who proclaimed, "Oh heck to the no. And wow they blend in so well. This is why I always stay on path!"
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