A quiet hike turned into a surprising moment for a South Carolina woman who spotted a massive creature hiding by a creek.
Wanting to alert fellow hikers at Jeffries Creek Park, Meredith Langley shared a photo of the large reptile on Facebook, leaving many online users shocked.
“That thing is huge!” one person commented, while another joked, “I’m never going hiking again!” Keep reading to see what Langley found.
A Startling Encounter
Langley was enjoying a walk through Jeffries Creek Park in Florence, South Carolina, when she noticed something unusual blending into the dirt near the water.
It was a giant brown snake, several feet long and as thick as a tree root, resting near the creek’s edge.
“Note how well he blends in with his surroundings,” Langley wrote in a Facebook post.
A Lesson in Nature
Langley used the moment to remind her kids about being cautious on trails.
“This was a great lesson for my kids, who sometimes forget not to run ahead of me,” she told members of the South Carolina Hiking Club group.
She estimated the snake to be four to five feet long and noted that it showed no fear.
“It watched me calmly, without aggression. It knew it could defend itself if needed but didn’t feel the need to,” Langley said. “This is its home, not ours, and we always respect nature when hiking.”
Online Reactions
After seeing the photo, many online users were shocked.
“What is that?” one person asked, while another joked, “This photo isn’t making South Carolina look inviting!”
Others were amazed by the snake’s size. “That thing is a beast!” one person said.
Not as Dangerous as It Looks
Some people guessed the snake was a cottonmouth, a venomous species common in the area. However, Sean Foley, a herpetology expert at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, confirmed it was actually a harmless water snake.
“They flatten their heads, shake their tails, and strike when they feel threatened. It’s their way of scaring off predators,” Foley explained.
Though it looked large, Foley said, “That size is normal. It takes years to grow that big.”
Langley ended her post with a simple tip: “If you see a snake, it’s best to leave it alone.”