Melissa

OK here it is...I am a pretty rational person. However, I have a completely irrational fear of snakes. I'll never go see "Snakes on a Plane". Just seeing a picture of a snake makes me break into a cold sweat, and Ireland sounds like a great place to visit because of its alleged lack of these slithering creatures.

I am New England born and bred and saw a snake only once in my life while walking by a cranberry bog (it was probably the size of a large worm) and I almost passed out.

I am travelling to New Mexico in early October and will be staying at the Hyatt Tamaya with my husband and 3 month old son. I would like to do some low key hiking around the hotel, and perhaps visit the Petroglyphs and Bandelier. Obviously I will not be reaching into bushes and such, but what are my chances I will encounter a snake during my walking adventures?

saps

45.34%

Loki

Will it bother you to see rattlesnake and scorpion warning signs everywhere you hike? If so, stay at the pool. Besides that, I concur with saps %...as long as the humidity is below 10% and the moon is gibbous.

Melissa

Figures I get the smart ass to respond first! 45.34%...LOL.

No_name

Maybe you could find a book or see someone about how to handle this fear in case you do run across one.

travel_addict

Hi Melissa,

I've been to ABQ, Santa Fe & northern New Mexico many times and have only seen one snake while hiking, and he was a harmless one at that. I've been told that you should try to make some noise while hiking as it tends to scare the snakes off. Don't know if it really works or not, but considering my track record, I have to believe it does.

The other thing I've heard is that snakes like to lay on rocks and other sunny places during the day. So if you happen to be climbing somewhere and have to put your hand on a rock above you can't see, use a stick to check it first.

And if you hear a rattle, stop to determine where the sound is coming from first, and then slowly back away. You don't want to scare the snake, or they may bite.

I also always carry a snake bite kit with me too. You can buy them at most outdoor sporting good stores. You're not very likely to die from a snake bite if you can get some help soon.

Have fun hiking - it's a beautiful area, especially that time of year.

MFNYC

We didn't see any snakes during our Bandelier hike, or anywhere else in NM.

BayouGal

That may be out of season for snakes in New Mexico. (Like white shoes after Labor Day. LoL) Hopefully a local will come along that knows much more about this than I do.

travel_addict

Not to scare you but I did see a tarantula on a trail once. I think my scream (loudly echoing through the canyon!) scared the crap out of him and he scurried away.

saps

While my percentage was obviously "smart ass" I've hiked in Albquerque, Los Alamos area and Santa Fe several times and sometimes I've seen snakes and sometimes I have not.

It's a coin flip.

BayouGal

LoL, Travel_addict! I had a similar experience with a scorpion in Big Bend Nat'l Park in Texas. It scared me, but I bet that scorpion will never be the same after our encounter!

PaulRabe

If you hike at the hottest part of the day and never place your hand under a rock, the odds of seeing snakes are pretty small -- less than the odds of being killed while driving to Bandelier. I've hiked in many environments over thirty years and have seen snakes about a dozen times -- and only once in the desert. This one even gave me a scare -- a rattlesnake on the trail five meters away, shaking its tail and poised to strike. I just stood still, thought "Snake, one thing we BOTH agree -- I shouldn't come any closer!!", and watched as the snake slithered away.

I can't GUARANTEE you won't see any snakes, but the odds are pretty small.

A_Traveller

The real problem with rying to answer a question like this is if the chances of seeing a snake are say 10% but you happen to be in that 10% than as far as you are concerned there was a 100% you saw the snake.

You are dealing with mother nature so anything can happen but chances are if you are hiking on frequently used trails at places like Bandelier your chances of encountering a snake are low. Just keep alert, like you should when hiking anywhere in the country and you'll be just fine.

beentheretwice

Wellllll....just returned from a week there in August, and we saw a HUGE rattler while hiking south of the city near the turquoise mines.

However, I would say that the places you mentioned won't be a popular snake hideout. Snakes don't want trouble any more than you do. We were on a decidedly less traveled trail area and it was 9 in the morning. Also saw mountain lion tracks, a jack rabbit and a coyote.

Stay on the trails and wear hiking boots?

traveller69

Just saw a program on snakes and in reply to make lots of noise - they are deaf. Its vibration that they feel so I would carry a walking stick?? and stomp a lot?? Actually I wouldn't hike at all too much of a chicken. I must say that we spend our winters in Southern Arizona in rattlesnake country but you don't see them in the built up areas. In the nine years we have been going there I have only seen one once and it was slithering across the highway.

OO

I've stayed there Melissa, and the trails around the grounds are pretty wide open. We saw the petroglyphs while on a trail ride, and with a 3 mos old, you most likely won't be doing that! That was more rugged terrain where they would be more likely--is there another way out there? I dunno. They do have a wagon ride but I don't think it could make it into that area.

Believe me, the hotel will and has done everything in their ability to keep the critters away from the grounds. None-the-less, I'm sure there are occasional escapees--there were the occasional ones at my DH's last hotel in FL. (Guest to security: "If you see a snake on the sidewalk and it rattles at you does that mean it's a rattlesnake?" Seriously!) The odds of your seeing one aren't great. We never did in a 4 day stay at Tamaya, including none on the rougher trail ride. Yup...I was looking.

starrsville

saps, I thought it was 45.33%.

Luckily, I've never seen a snake during any of my visits to NM. Based on what you describe, I would guess your chance would be 0.33%.

nytraveler

If you're going to go hiking in areas away from the resort buildings there is a cahnce you will see a snake. Just be happy if all you do is see it.

I stayed in a resort in Scottsdale and they informaed everyone on check in - in writing - never to leave balconey door open (even second floor) and never to put shoe on before shaking it out - scorpions). And someone coming back from a late dinner saw an armadillo in the parking lot. Do you think the snakes are any further away?

And every rest top on the highway - and outdoor rest rooms - have signs warning of snakes and scorpions.

They don;t want to meet you either - and will escape if they can - but if you're going to panic and do who knows what if you see one, I wouldn;t go hiking.

placeu2

A worm sized snake causes woman to convulse

I love the headline!

Sorry for that.... I'm not a fan of snakes either but most of these folks make sense. Snakes are not out to "get" you. They are mostly interested in avoiding you.

Suck it up Melissa, chances are slim. Even slimmer that the reptile that you encounter does anything undesireable to you.

OO

LOL...that we could say the same for ALL reptiles.