BEWARE: Top 5 Copperhead Snake Hotspots In Kentucky
Planning outdoor adventures? These are the top 5 copperhead snake hotspots in Kentucky you should know about.
It's no secret that I am very afraid of snakes. That being said, I do understand there are some benefits to keeping them around. However, if I were to see one in my yard, I would instinctively run away. I want nothing to do with those nope ropes! That's especially true if it's one of the four venomous snakes that we have here in Kentucky. Those include the tiny pigmy rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, the western cottonmouth, and the eastern copperhead. Of those snakes, the copperhead is the most common venomous snake throughout the state of Kentucky.
Now, I am sure that we all have had some kind of experience running into a copperhead in Kentucky. If you haven't personally, you know someone who has. In Kentucky, the places you are most likely to find these snakes include rivers, canyons, outside of caves, and in a vast peninsula between two lakes. So, with that being said, what are the five biggest copperhead hotspots in Kentucky? Let's take a look!
Top 5 Copperhead Snake Hotspots In Kentucky
According to a new article by World Atlas, there are five hotspots in Kentucky where copperheads are commonly found. Check them out:
1. The Ohio River
These snakes are swimmers. They can swim through water, including the Ohio River and its creeks and streams. It will keep its head above the water and use its tail as a rudder to move straight ahead. You'll most commonly find copperheads in natural habitats around the Ohio River, from greenway parks to river bluffs and outcrops.
2. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Wildlife authorities have found copperheads in the park throughout the years, sometimes hiding in the trees, grabbing cicadas to eat. However, the snake is unlikely to be in the falls themselves; the woodlands downstream are an ideal habitat for it.
3. Red River Gorge Geological Area
According to World Atlas:
The Red River Gorge is a perfect place for copperheads to live as there are many places for this pit viper to hide and wait for prey, from leaves to underbrush to ledges and more. The copperhead primarily feeds on small rodents, lizards, caterpillars, and any other small creature it can catch. Its hemotoxic venom targets the prey's circulation. Usually, these snakes stay off the main trails, but they may come out to warm themselves in the sunlight on trails.
4. Mammoth Cave National Park
The woodlands around the park, and even the cave entrances, are hiding places for reptiles ranging from the orange-and-black Eastern box turtle to timber rattlesnakes and copperheads. World Atlas says that hikers have reported seeing both of these venomous snakes coming out onto trails or into campgrounds.
5. Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
Land Between the Lakes is exactly what it sounds like. It's the land between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. The area has many creeks running along from the lakes, which copperheads love to plunge into during a hot summer day to cool off. If you're hiking in the area, they're also commonly found hiding in the underbrush.
You can learn more about these areas and copperhead snakes in Kentucky by clicking here.
Snakes in Kentucky
Gallery Credit: think stock