We were hiking the East Shore/Heron Bay Trail at Del Valle today when we had a little surprise. Heading down a section on very narrow trail Alice and I fell into single file as we walked the path. The lake was to our right and a grassy hillside to our left. We started to hear a rustling sound in the grass from the hillside to our left and looking over we saw a wonderful view, a four-foot long rattlesnake coiled to strike hissing and rattling his displeasure at our presence. We think we interrupted him as he was trying to cross the trail. We never saw him until we were standing next to him less than two feet away. My first thought was "Oh shit, it's a rattlesnake.....and he is coiled" My next thought was easy, run! I ran the wrong way and had to make my way back up the trail to continue the hike. I took a detour through the thick waist-high grass to pass the rattlesnake who remained at the edge of the trail. I stopped to get a few shots of the snake in his hiding spot. Alice warned me that it may not be the safest spot to be standing, I was still in striking reach of the snake and the tall grass might be hiding some of his slithering companions. I grabbed a few shot of his coiled posture and we headed off to finish the hike. We were both lucky he did not try to strike or the hike could have ended badly. This is the second time I have had to run from a coiled rattlesnake, this time I have the pictures to prove it.
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