With the warmer weather, more rattlesnakes are coming out and sunning themselves on or near local hiking trails. Today, I talked to several people who saw rattlesnakes in different areas of the Los Robles Trail.

In most cases, snakes are less interested in an encounter with you than you are with them. So just give them space and don't provoke them, and you shouldn't have a problem.

This is also a good reminder to keep your dogs on a leash while out hiking with them. What dog wouldn't be inclined to bring a wiggling stick back to their master, especially with a rattle at one end?