THURMONT, Md. — As Maryland's fall colors reach their peak, the state Department of Natural Resources has an important safety reminder for leaf peepers: watch where you step.
Copperheads and rattlesnakes are currently on the move, making their way to winter hibernation spots, and their natural camouflage makes them particularly difficult to spot among fallen leaves.
"We're at the end of October here and this is the time period where all the snakes start making their way to wherever they're gonna spend the winter," said Kevin Stohlgren, a zoologist for the state of Maryland.
Kevin Stohlgren alerts hikers to watch their step
The timing creates a perfect storm for accidental encounters. Snakes blend seamlessly with autumn's leaf litter, especially copperheads, which can be nearly invisible on forest floors.
"They have really good camouflage, you know, particularly copperheads blend in with the leaf litter, especially this time of year, really well, and it could be hard to see them, and you may accidentally step on one," Stohlgren said.
Snakes are heading toward their winter hibernacula – rocky, south-facing outcrops where they'll spend the colder months. On cooler days, they remain underground, but sunny autumn days bring them to the surface.
"The sun comes out and it warms up a little bit, those snakes will still wanna get some of those last warm rays of the season, and they'll come up to the surface and they'll just bask for a little bit," Stohlgren said.
Despite their fearsome reputation, Stohlgren emphasizes that snakes aren't aggressive toward humans.
"Snakes are heavily persecuted because people think they are out to get us, but in general they're just, you know, the old adage of they're more afraid of us than we are of them, is pretty true," Stohlgren said.
His advice for fall hikers is simple: stay on designated trails, enjoy the changing leaves and respect all wildlife during this active season.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
