HARRISBURG – Bi-annually the Shawnee National Forest closes Forest Service Road No. 345, also known as Snake Road, to help ensure safe crossing for several species of snakes and amphibians during this critical time of migration. Due to warmer temperatures this season, Shawnee National Forest officials Thursday closed the road early.
The 2.5-mile-long road is regularly closed March 15 through May 15 to allow snakes and amphibians – some of them considered threatened and endangered in Illinois and the United States – to migrate from their winter habitat in the limestone bluffs across the road to their summer habitat in LaRue Swamp. For the latest on this closure visitors should visit the Forest website or their Facebook or Twitter social media sites.
The gradual, two-month migration event attracts people from across the country eager to witness the rich diversity of reptile and amphibian species along this single stretch of road. About 66 percent of the amphibians and 59 percent of the reptiles known to occur in Illinois are found here.
Though the road is closed to vehicles, it is open to people traveling on foot. Special regulations apply to the area. LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond is a federally designated Research Natural Area and unauthorized collecting and handling of any of these species is prohibited under federal and state law.
Visitors may see volunteers primarily on weekends, but occasionally on a weekday, assisting the Forest Service with counting snakes, people, and cars that visit the area. Training was recently conducted with Snake Sentinels, volunteers for Snake Road, that covered datasheets and snake identification.
For more information about the snake migration and LaRue-Pine Hills Research National Area visit www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3833915.pdf.
