NORTH CAROLINIA - As North Carolinians trade their winter coats for hiking boots, the state's wildlife is waking up alongside them. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks, North Carolina’s diverse landscape is a hiker’s paradise—but it’s also prime territory for some of the Southeast's most venomous reptiles.
NORTH CAROLINIA - As North Carolinians trade their winter coats for hiking boots, the state's wildlife is waking up alongside them. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks, North Carolina’s diverse landscape is a hiker’s paradise—but it’s also prime territory for some of the Southeast's most venomous reptiles.
The danger isn't just theoretical. In June 2025, a Charlotte teenager’s high school graduation celebration turned into a life-or-death rescue mission when he was bitten by a timber rattlesnake deep in the Pisgah National Forest. His story, which involved a helicopter extraction and 12 vials of antivenom, serves as a stark reminder: when you enter the woods, you are entering their home.
North Carolina is home to 37 species of snakes, but only six are venomous. Here is how to identify the ones that pose a threat.
1. The Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
- Danger Level: Moderate (Most common bites, generally less lethal than rattlesnakes)
- Where they hide: Everywhere. Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, and very likely your suburban garden.
If you see a venomous snake in North Carolina, it is statistically almost certainly a Copperhead. Responsible for the vast majority of snakebites in the state, they are famous for their ability to freeze and blend into pine straw and dead leaves.
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ID Tip: Look for the "Hershey’s Kiss" pattern—dark brown, hourglass-shaped bands on a tan body.
2. The Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
- Danger Level: High
- Where they hide: Eastern NC; swamps, creeks, and drainage ditches in the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont.
Semi-aquatic and notoriously defensive, the Cottonmouth is often confused with harmless water snakes. When threatened, they coil and gape their mouths open, revealing a startlingly white interior.
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ID Tip: A blocky, heavy head with a dark "mask" stripe running through the eye. They swim with their entire body floating on top of the water (harmless water snakes swim with only their head exposed).
3. Timber / Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
- Danger Level: Very High
- Where they hide: The Mountains and the Coastal Plain (largely absent from the central Piedmont).
In the mountains, they are known as Timber Rattlesnakes; in the coastal swamps, they are often called Canebrake Rattlesnakes. Regardless of the name, they are large, potent pit vipers. While generally docile if left alone, their bite is a medical emergency.
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ID Tip: Look for a chevron (V-shaped) pattern on the back and a black tail (often called "velvet-tail").
4. Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)
- Danger Level: Moderate to High
- Where they hide: The Coastal Plain and Sandhills (forests and sandy areas).
This "pocket-sized" viper is the smallest venomous snake in the state. Because of their size (often 1-2 feet), they are hard to spot, and their rattle is so tiny it sounds like a faint insect buzz—meaning you might not hear the warning until you are right on top of them.
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ID Tip: Grey to reddish body with dark blotches running down the center of the back.
5. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
- Danger Level: Critical (The most dangerous snake in North America)
- Where they hide: Southeastern Coastal Plain (Sandy pine flatwoods).
The heavyweight champion of North American reptiles. The Eastern Diamondback is rare and endangered in North Carolina, but encounters still happen in the southeastern corner of the state. They have massive fangs and a huge venom yield.
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ID Tip: Unmistakable dark diamonds outlined in yellow running down the back.
6. The Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius)
- Danger Level: Critical (Neurotoxic venom)
- Where they hide: Extremely rare; restricted to sandy areas in the southeastern Coastal Plain.
Often called the "ghost of the sandhills," this snake is incredibly elusive. Unlike vipers, it has a neurotoxic venom that attacks the nervous system. Encounters are exceptionally rare in NC, but they do occur.
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ID Tip: Remember the rhyme: "Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; Red touch black, venom lack."
Safety & First Aid: What to Do If Bitten
Snakebites spike in the spring and fall. If you are bitten, ignore the old myths—they can cost you a limb.
THE DON'TS:
- NO Tourniquets (Trapping venom destroys tissue).
- NO Cutting and sucking (This introduces bacteria and does not remove venom).
- NO Ice or electrical shocks.
THE DO'S:
Call 911 immediately. The only cure for envenomation is antivenom.
Stay Calm. A racing heart pumps venom faster.
Remove constriction. Rings, watches, and tight socks must come off before swelling starts.
Take a Photo (Safely). A picture helps doctors choose the right treatment, but do not risk a second bite to get it.
North Carolina’s trails are beautiful, but they are wild. Keep your eyes on the path, keep your dogs on a leash, and if you see a slithering friend, give them the right of way.
Charlotte teen rescued after rattlesnake bite in mountains
