The Diamondback Rattlesnake Trail

Sunday November 25, 2012
Site 83 Hunting Island State Park

 

Snake Phobics fear not!

I haven’t asked why they named this trail for the rattlesnake but we saw nary a snake of any kind on it.

 

But first -

 

 

I look out the door and see Susan and the boys.  Susan has been sitting outside reading to the boys off and on all week-end long.  She has heroically read aloud FOUR Hardy Boys books.  Joel is getting things disconnected for their departure so there is no campfire as usual to warm the reader and listener. 

 

 

 

I get one last picture of all of the Barrys with their Mansion before saying goodbye.  They are returning to their home in Savannah.

 

Now back to the Diamondback…

We pack a lunch and ride the bikes down to the Visitor’s Center for the start of the trail which goes 2.3 miles down to the Nature Center.

So the plan is, to bike, then hike down, get the shark jaw picture I forgot to get yesterday and hike back.  David prefers loop trails but as many of you have already heard me say, I think a trail looks different from the other direction.

 

It is about a 4 mile bike ride and a 4.6 mile hike round trip.   The park roads are lovely for biking.  The park also has several trails that can be ridden by those with mountain bikes.
Ours are hybrids and we don’t do sand. :-)

 

We get to the trail head, lock up the bikes and start on down the path.

 

 

 

 

It’s a lovely trail and the scent of pine is olfactory heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m passing through a beautiful palmetto alley when I see the first one.

 

 

Back at some distance from the trail, someone has tied a rope to two trees and left it there.  Most parks I’ve been in have strict rules about nothing tied to trees.

 

 

We decide to be eco warriors and rescue the trees.

 

 

As we walk along, we find several more similar set ups.  It looks to have been some sort of game.  We rescue them all.  It slows us down but the trees look happier.  I’m happier.

 

Lassoed trees are not the only surprise here.

Eventually we get to the Nature Center.  I get out the camera to take those shark jaw pictures and see this

 

 

It never occurred to me that the Nature Center would be closed on Sunday.  Well I’m so far behind on posting that I guess waiting until Tuesday won’t matter.   And if you saw the shark jaw on yesterday’s post then I’ll bet you are plenty confused by this point.  I’m really not trying to be confusing.

 

 

I am also surprised to find that there is not one soul out on the pier today.  We have it all to ourselves.  So we sit out on the end and have our picnic lunch before starting back down the trail.

 

 

Our view is of the far end of the island.  Some day at low tide, I’d like to walk down there from the campground on the ocean front.  I would think it’s about 4 miles one way.  It goes past what once were the dozen rental cabins. 

I put this on my mental list of things to do before we leave.

 

 

As we walk back down the pier we see two kayaks go under the bridge toward the island.  They have come from the boat launch I imagine.  That gets me to thinking about whether it is warm enough for me to want to kayak.  I have a spray skirt, water boots and other gear for cooler weather kayaking but David does not.   I’ll have to think on it. 

Another note to my mental list.

 

There is a Diamondback Drawback however.

 

We’re soon back on the Diamondback trail.  It is a lovely trail and I’m glad I’ve hiked it but I probably won’t do it again.  It runs parallel and too close for me to Route 21.  I like my wilderness walks through beautiful areas without the sounds of cars. 

 

But you don’t have to hear the cars.  You can just see the beauty.

 

 

This day is like deja vu

 

another late afternoon return home

And another Thanksgiving dinner!