The unwelcomed guest

Back in July, we took a family camping trip to Mt Pisgah.  It was the first time we had camped at the campground up there.  It is a really nice campground and we will be camping there again.

When we go camping we like to go hiking and enjoy the beautiful world that the Lord has given us. Time out in nature is a true pleasure for me.  I could easily live deep in the woods.  Of course you would have to come visit me to hear these stories rather than just read them on this blog.

One afternoon we decided to stop in at the Cradle of Forestry just north of Looking Glass Falls.  We had went by there many times in the past, but had never stopped to see what all was there.

The kitchen inside the ranger's house.

In 1898, the Biltmore Forestry School was opened and in 1968 it became a historical site.   The site is impressive.  Being true to their history, there is an informative and fun educational building that is designed to teach not only about trees and animals that live in the forests, but also about the products that we use every day that come from the woods.  Did you know that crayons come from the forest?

The Cradle of Forestry also has two trails you can take.  The site closes at 5 and we got there later in the afternoon, so we only had time to take one of the trails.  We selected the Biltmore Campus trail that shows how life at the school was back in the late 1800's.

We do a lot of hiking and have hiked many trails, but I will tell you this was a very nice, easy paved trail that would be a wonderful journey into the woods and back in time for anyone.  Just plan on getting there earlier in the day than we did so you can enjoy both of the trails.  In fact hats off to the Forestry Service and the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association for how well maintained the whole site was.

We had just really started on the trail and was enjoying the old buildings and learning more about life back when the forestry school was in session.  We made it to the second stop and went through the old ranger's house.

After we left the ranger's house we headed up the slight incline towards the next stop.  There was a steep drop off to our left and a rock wall to our right.  The width of the path was all there was between them.

As we made our way up the hill, Dwayne was a step ahead closest to the drop off.  Sarah was in the middle and I was right at the wall.  Dwayne got slightly ahead of us, because I was actually touching the wall and commenting on how much I would love to have it.  It came about chest high on me and would be awesome to use in portrait sessions.

Just as I finished saying that I wanted that wall, the whole woods erupted into the most distinct noise.  Dwayne reached back and started pushing us back.  I grabbed for Sarah to pull her back and started back tracking myself.

This is the full frame of the snake.  Sorry, I wasn't getting any closer.

We had came up a gate keeper and he was not a happy camper.  We knew it was a rattlesnake, but I had no clue where he was.  I have been attacked by a wild turkey and a raccoon an have came across wild boar before while out in the woods, but not knowing where this snake was made me a little uncomfortable.

Dwayne said when he heard him start rattling that he saw something black on top of the rock wall (yeah the one I was wanting so bad - still do, just without the snake) go up the hill.  The snake stopped rattling.  We took another step closer and he started right back instantly.

I finally saw his rattle, but he was so dark to the eye that I could not see his head at all.  I finally did when he stuck his tongue out.

Being the photographer I really wanted to get an image of this snake.  BUT as luck would have it I only had my widest angle lens with me. Call me chicken all you want, but I was not going to get as close as I needed to in order to get the image I really wanted.  If I would have had my long lens.... yeah I know starting to sound like a fishing tell.

I titled this post The unwelcomed guest, but the snake was not the unwelcomed guest.  We were.  We were visitors in his home.  Now I don't care for snakes, but I have learned to respect them and understand their importance.  I still don't like them.  But we were intruding on his property and we were the one that did not belong.

Crop in of the image above of the timber rattler.  His head is on his tale.

During the whole experience, we kept our distance.  We did not harass him in any manner; well other than actually walking up on him and disturbing his nap on the rock wall.  We weren't real happy about that either. 


We did not stay long; letting him have his territory.  We turned around and went the other way on the loop for a little while talking about how big he was and the warning signs posted about rattlesnakes being in the campground.  We also talked about of all the trails we have been on, we come across our first rattlesnake in the wild on probably the best maintained one we have ever been on.

We will have to finish the loop another day.  Hopefully without meeting the gatekeeper again.