{"id":448226,"date":"2026-02-04T09:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T09:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/448226\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T09:02:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T09:02:10","slug":"4-copperhead-snake-hotspots-in-tennessee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/448226\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Copperhead Snake Hotspots In Tennessee"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Copperhead<\/a> is one of four venomous snakes in Tennessee<\/a>, and the most common. It\u2019s found across the state, but the snake\u2019s preferred habitat is forest and other areas where there is plenty of cover, such as rocky slopes. They can also be found near wetlands and streams. October through to mid-November is known as \u2018baby Copperhead season\u2019 in the state as this is when the young snakes become active. They\u2019re most often found in the rocky, forested hills of the western Highland rim or in East Tennessee\u2019s mountainous areas. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning a trip to Tennessee to enjoy the state\u2019s stunning scenery, you should be aware that you share that space with snakes. Below, we take a look at the most likely places to encounter a Copperhead and share some advice on staying safe on the trails. <\/p>\n

Great Smoky Mountain National Park <\/p>\n

\"EntranceEntrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Last year, a Great Smoky Mountains<\/a> Copperhead went viral on TikTok. Captured on video by a hiker, the snake was curled up at the base of a sign that read \u2018Copperheads spotted in the area\u2019, as if to confirm the warning. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a>, one of Tennessee\u2019s top attractions, be aware that Copperheads are found throughout the park. They are one of 23 snakes found in the area and one of only two venomous species, the other being the Timber Rattlesnake. Despite the presence of these two vipers, there has never been a fatality from a snakebite recorded in the park. <\/p>\n

\"AA copperhead on leaf litter on the forest floor.<\/p>\n

Copperheads have been spotted in the Cades Cove area of the park, taking shelter among the millstones around the historic grist mill near the Cades Cove Visitor Center. If you\u2019re visiting the mills, camping, or hiking in this area, step carefully and pay close attention to any ranger alerts of Copperhead activity. <\/p>\n

Overton Park <\/p>\n

\"AnAn Eastern gray squirrel at Overton Park in Tennessee. Image credit: Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN via Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

A scenic green space and recreation area in the heart of Memphis<\/a>, Overton Park has likely been a home for Copperheads for over a century. The park contains the 126-acre Old Forest State Natural Area, the only urban old-growth forest in the southeastern United States, and a thriving Copperhead habitat. <\/p>\n

\"TheThe Old Forest trail in Overton Park, Mississippi. Image credit: Thomas R. Machnitzki via Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

Studies conducted at the park show that the resident snakes have a small home range, staying close to the forest’s wooded environment, which is accessible to visitors via the Old Forest Loop, a one-mile trail through the heart of the urban wilderness. Pristine and largely undisturbed, it\u2019s no wonder Old Forest is a prime Copperhead habitat; one researcher trapped over 70 of the snakes in a single study done at the Park. <\/p>\n

Cumberland Mountain State Park <\/p>\n

\"AA sweeping view of the lush forests of the Cumberland Mountain State Park.<\/p>\n

Cumberland Mountain State Park in eastern Tennessee covers a 1,720-acre swath of the Cumberland Plateau, the largest forested plateau in America. The park also includes Byrd Lake, a man-made reservoir, where you can rent a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe. There are also plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, swimming, and picnicking within the park. <\/p>\n

Whatever you\u2019re up to at Cumberland Mountain, tread carefully. The Cumberland Plateau is a known Copperhead hotspot thanks to its forests and rocky areas, which are the ideal environment for the snake. If you\u2019re interested in learning more about the park\u2019s snakes, check the schedule before you visit. Park rangers often host educational workshops and presentations on the wildlife of the Cumberland Plateau and offer a snake-themed program that looks at some of the myths and misconceptions around Tennessee\u2019s snake species. <\/p>\n

Meeman-Shelby Forest <\/p>\n

\"AA bridge across a stream at the Meeman-Shelby forest State Park, Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Located north of Memphis, the Meeman-Shelby Forest is an area well-known to Copperhead researchers. It covers one of Tennessee\u2019s largest contiguous tracts of mature bottomland hardwood forest and upland forest within the Chickasaw Bluffs and provides a haven for many of the state\u2019s rare flora and fauna. Copperheads have been recorded in the forest by researchers from the Meeman Biological Station. <\/p>\n

\"AA venomous Northern copperhead snake in leaf litter on the forest floor.<\/p>\n

The 11,000-acre Meeman-Shelby Forest State Natural Area lies within Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. The park contains more than 20 miles of hiking trails, including the popular 8-mile Chickasaw Bluff Trail, which travels along a bluff overlooking Poplar Tree Lake. Aside from snakes, the Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is home to deer, turkey, otter, beaver, foxes, bobcats and more than 200 species of birds, making it a great place to enjoy some wildlife watching. The park\u2019s Nature Center contains information on the local wildlife, and has a number of fun, family-friendly exhibits including live snakes. <\/p>\n

Staying Safe From Snakes in Tennessee <\/p>\n

The Copperhead\u2019s main defence is its camouflage. This shy snake lies to hide undiscovered in natural debris and its brown coloring gives it ample opportunity to blend in. That\u2019s a problem for hikers and other outdoor adventurers as it\u2019s easy to unwittingly disturb a Copperhead and provoke a bite. If you\u2019re enjoying Tennessee\u2019s beautiful natural areas, be careful where you step and where you put your hands. Copperhead bites are rarely fatal as their venom isn\u2019t very potent, but they can still cause severe pain, swelling, nausea and other complications. If you\u2019re bitten, don\u2019t panic but do seek medical attention immediately. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Copperhead is one of four venomous snakes in Tennessee, and the most common. It\u2019s found across the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":448227,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[79,201],"class_list":["post-448226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-science","tag-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=448226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/448227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=448226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=448226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=448226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}