Snake Road: A Field Guide to the Snakes of LaRue-Pine Hills

Visiting the mecca of snake watching

Twice a year, spring and fall, numerous species of reptiles and amphibians migrate between the LaRue-Pine Hills’ towering limestone bluffs and the Big Muddy River’s swampy floodplain in southern Illinois. Snakes, especially great numbers of Cottonmouths, give the road that separates these distinct environments its name. Although it is one of the best places in the world to observe snakes throughout the year, spring and fall are the optimal times to see a...