Snake Road will close next week for annual reptile, amphibian migration

in southern illinois there's a place called Shawnee National Forest, which is home to a lot of threatened and endangered species of snakes and amphibians! every year, LaRue Road (or Snake Road) gets closed to vehicles — but remains open to foot traffic — for 2 months so all the animals can migrate to a nearby swamp in peace. people come from all over to walk the road and see all the rare animals come out from the cold, and it's really cool! i wanna see if i can go!

Quote:

---

"The gradual, two-month migration attracts people from across the country eager to witness the rich diversity of reptile and amphibian species along this single stretch of road. About 66 percent of the amphibians and 59 percent of the reptiles known to occur in Illinois are found here."
...
"Snakes and amphibians migrate from the bluffs to the wetlands for the spring and summer,” said Paul Widowski, a wildlife biologist with Shawnee National Forest. “Cottonmouths are the most common snake that can be seen during this migration."

---

the article is really interesting and has a lot of cool photos of animals that you can see during the migration! here's a sampling:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...6820.image.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...5c9b.image.jpg

https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.town...size=540%2C397

link to the article: http://thesouthern.com/news/local/en...1b87b0cd3.html

Wow that’s super cool thanks for sharing. I wish I was closer. My have to add this to the bucket list though!

Why did the BP cross the road?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

Why did the BP cross the road?

---

The rat was on the other side?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

Why did the BP cross the road?

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

The rat was on the other side?

---

to get to the other hide!

:P

Thanks for sharing, tttaylorrr! I actually just read an article about that the other day. That's some amazing stuff. Might have to add that to the bucket list too.

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

to get to the other hide!

:P

---

How did I not get that?!?!?!?:confusd:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

Why did the BP cross the road?

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

to get to the other hide!

:P

---

hahahahaha, such a cute joke!!! i can't believe i hadn't heard it before! :rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

Why did the BP cross the road?

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

to get to the other hide!

:P

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

hahahahaha, such a cute joke!!! i can't believe i hadn't heard it before! :rofl:

---

that's b/c it's an Ax original. :)


Edit: anyway this is really neat. i would totally go if i were within driving distance. i would hike back and forth on this road and post it on a lawnchair when i get tired. if it were warm u could wear shorts and teva's or birkenstocks. i would also bring a broom to chase away predators lol. i would help them across the road if i could like how some peeps help lil baby sea turtles reach the ocean waves. ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

that's b/c it's an Ax original. :)


Edit: anyway this is really neat. i would totally go if i were within driving distance. i would hike back and forth on this road and post it on a lawnchair when i get tired. if it were warm u could wear shorts and teva's or birkenstocks. i would also bring a broom to chase away predators lol. i would help them across the road if i could like how some peeps help lil baby sea turtles reach the ocean waves. ;)

---

If I ever hit the lotto real big, like stupid money big, I'll sponsor an outing for my BP.net friends.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

that's b/c it's an Ax original. :)


Edit: anyway this is really neat. i would totally go if i were within driving distance. i would hike back and forth on this road and post it on a lawnchair when i get tired. if it were warm u could wear shorts and teva's or birkenstocks. i would also bring a broom to chase away predators lol. i would help them across the road if i could like how some peeps help lil baby sea turtles reach the ocean waves. ;)

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

If I ever hit the lotto real big, like stupid money big, I'll sponsor an outing for my BP.net friends.

---

and buy a animal sanctuary in FL, a franchise Petco/Petsmart, jetskis and a snowmobile too!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

and buy a animal sanctuary in FL, a franchise Petco/Petsmart, jetskis and a snowmobile too!

---

I'm all good on the franchise and I'll buy you a snowmobile. I won't be anywhere near snow.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

If I ever hit the lotto real big, like stupid money big, I'll sponsor an outing for my BP.net friends.

---

UPDATE: I hit four bucks on a scratchie yesterday, so maybe next year, friends.

Bamp!

it's time for the Fall migration. tttay u should forget about football, grab your camera and go take some nice pix!

https://thesouthern.com/news/local/e...59c452379.html

Quote:

---

Shawnee Forest Snake Road closes Sept. 1 to protect endangered reptiles, amphibians during migration

Shawnee National Forest’s Snake Road is closing Sept. 1 so that snakes and amphibians, some of them considered threatened and endangered in Illinois and the United States, can migrate from LaRue Swamp to nearby limestone bluffs.

Closing the 2.5-mile-long road, also known as LaRue Road and Forest Service Road No. 345, helps ensure safe crossing for these rare species.

The gradual, two-month migration attracts people from across the country eager to witness the rich diversity of reptile and amphibian species along this single stretch of road. About 66 percent of the amphibians and 59 percent of the reptiles known to occur in Illinois are found here.

According to a news release from the Shawnee National Forest, the migration happens as these species are preparing for winter hibernation. Cottonmouths are the most common snake that can be seen during this migration.

Snake Road will be closed between mile post 3.0 and mile post 5.8. It will remain closed until Oct. 30. Though the road is closed to vehicles, it is open to people traveling on foot.

Although foot traffic is welcome, be aware that LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond is a federally designated Research Natural Area and unauthorized collecting and handling of any of these species is prohibited under federal and state law.

Common names of reptiles and amphibians occurring at this site: American toad, bird-voiced tree frog, black racer, black rat snake, broadhead skink, brown snake, bullfrog, green frog, cave salamander, central newt, common kingsnake, common snapping turtle, copperhead, cottonmouth, cricket frog, diamondback water snake, eastern box turtle, eastern garter snake, eastern hognose snake, fence lizard, five-lined skink, flathead snake, Fowler's toad, gray tree frog, green tree frog, ground skink, lesser siren, long tail salamander, marbled salamander, midland water snake, Mississippi green water snake, mud snake, musk turtle, painted turtle, red milksnake, red-bellied snake, red-eared slider, ringneck snake, rough green snake, slimy salamander, smooth earth snake, southern leopard frog, Spotted salamander, spring peeper, timber rattlesnake, upland chorus frog, western ribbon snake, wood frog and worm snake.

Snake Road is located south and west of Murphysboro and east of Illinois 3.

For more information about the snake migration and/or the LaRue-Pine Hills Ecological Area, please contact the Shawnee National Forest office in Jonesboro, Illinois at 618-833-8576, or visit fs.usda.gov/shawnee.

---

i think this is just an updated article of the one u originally posted Lol. anyways there are alotta nice pix in the article.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

Bamp!

it's time for the Fall migration. tttay u should forget about football, grab your camera and go take some nice pix!

https://thesouthern.com/news/local/e...59c452379.html


i think this is just an updated article of the one u originally posted Lol. anyways there are alotta nice pix in the article.

---

i should!!! my good friend lives in Champaign (about the halfway point between me and LaRue Road) and she's a total nature junkie; i should take her with me!

EDIT: there's a lot of really cool pics in the article! it's really worth the click! :)