Where is snake road

The swamp is part of the Mississippi River basin. Here you will see species such as the cottonmouth snake Agkistrodon piscivorus , the southern leopard frog Lithobates sphenocephalus , and the bird-voiced tree frog Hyla avivoca. These animals are common in Mississippi and Louisiana, but are not usually seen as far north as Illinois. LaRue Swamp is also an important stop for migrating waterfowl , such as ducks and geese.

The LaRue-Pine Hills are on the east side of the road. The LaRue-Pine Hills are famous for their majestic bluffs towering 46 meters feet straight into the air. They form the easternmost point of the Ozark Mountain ecosystem.

The limestone rock of the bluffs is more common to Missouri and Arkansas than the rest of Illinois. Scientists think the bluffs were at the bottom of a vast sea called the Illinois Basin. There were seashells and coral in the Illinois Basin.

When the sea creatures died, they left behind skeletons made of calcium carbonate. Over millions of years, those skeletons became limestone rock. Wind and erosion cut grooves and gullies into the soft limestone surface.

These ridges and caves make an ideal habitat for snakes. They are protected from the weather, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. To get to and from the bluffs, snakes must migrate across LaRue Road every spring and fall. In the cool early morning and evening hours, the black asphalt is relatively warm, and rather than crossing quickly, snakes and other cold-blooded creatures like to hang out.

That is why so many snakes, frogs, toads, and turtles get hit by cars. It is possible that up to twenty-five percent of all snakes will eventually become roadkill: According to biologist Rich Seigel, almost one in four of the snakes he collected for one of his studies had been killed by vehicular traffic. It is estimated that tens to hundreds of millions of snakes have been killed by automobiles in the United States. In , the Forest Service made the decision to close LaRue Road for three weeks in the spring and three weeks in the fall in order for the snakes to migrate safely.

However, Scott Ballard, a District Heritage biologist and herpetologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, found that the snake migration took a lot longer than anyone first thought. Now the Snake Road is closed from March 15th to May 15th in the spring and from September 1st to October 30th in the fall.

Duck hunting is a very popular activity around here. Snake enthusiasts and herpetoculturists also support closing the Snake Road to let the snakes migrate across it. Herpetologists study snakes and other reptiles, while herpetoculturists keep reptiles and other snakes as pets or for a hobby. Cars are prohibited, but people are welcome to walk the four kilometer 2. Herons and egrets also eat frogs and small snakes. Meet The News Team.

Meet The Management Team. Latest Newscasts. Gray DC Bureau. Investigate TV. Snake Road to close for fall migration. By Amber Ruch. Published: Aug.

Share on Facebook. They can also reach this from the south entrance off of LaRue Rd some people like to walk from here north and turn around part way. Nora Davis, a wildlife photographer who calls Hayti, Missouri home, enjoys capturing snakes on camera. She photographed this Timber Rattler as it embarked on its great migration. Search for a Place or Topic. The Shawnee National Forest is home to critters of all sorts Rattlers, copperheads, cottonmouths, oh my!

While the road is closed to vehicles, human foot traffic is allowed. But, special regulations apply. For the latest updates on the road closure, visit fs. Edit Close. Toggle navigation. Close 1 of 2. By Leanne Fuller.