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Valley View Trail at ssss1

 Rattlesnakes occasionally appear along the nonurban trails featured in this book. Typically, these creatures are as interested in avoiding contact with you as you are with them. But watch carefully where you put your feet, and especially your hands, during the warmer months, as you never want to startle a rattler. Most encounters between rattlesnakes and hikers occur in April and May, when snakes are out and about after a long hibernation period.

 Ticks also are an occasional problem, primarily on—again—the nonurban trails. They cling to the branches of shrubbery and wait for any warm-blooded host to wander by. If you can’t avoid brushing against vegetation along the trail, be sure to check yourself for ticks frequently. Upon finding a host, a tick will usually crawl upward in search of a protected spot, where it will try to attach itself. If you can be aware of the slightest irritation on your body, you’ll usually intercept ticks long before they attempt to latch on. Consider wearing light-colored long pants if you expect to encounter ticks, as it is easier to spot them quickly and flick them off before they find your skin.