Road in Illinois closes two times every year to let snakes cross

This road in Illinois closes two times every year to let snakes slither across it safely. And, unsurprisingly, it’s known as Snake Road.

It’s all in aid of protecting the wildlife that roams in the area.

Visitors to Shawnee National Forest can even play a role at Snake Road by giving a helping a hand alongside special volunteers.

Plus, it has a rather unique name for its special purpose.

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It’s not just drivers who use roads

Cars need designated areas to roam free, in a safe way, but sometimes this doesn’t quite go to plan.

For example, one Massachusetts FedEx driver got stuck and had to be rescued from a road that disappears. Which, let’s face it, is not ideal, as that road closed twice a day.

But not all road closures produce negative outcomes, as you’ll learn with this one.

In fact, it might pull at your heart strings.

This road in Illinois has a unique reason for shutting up shop

The road, fondly known as Snake Road, AKA Forest Service Road No. 345, is in the midst of the Shawnee National Forest.

Due to warm weather in the state, the U.S Forest Service shared that the road would be closing early this year – with the closure to stretching from an earlier date of March 12 all the way through to May 15.

And, there’s a heartwarming reason as to why the road is a no-go for vehicles at the moment – the wildlife.

The clue is in the name – Snake Road

“The 2.5-mile-long road is closed March 15 through May 15.

“[This will] allow snakes and amphibians – some of them considered threatened and endangered in Illinois and the United States – to migrate from their winter habitat […] across the road to their summer habitat,” stated the U.S Forest Service.

So there you have it, the snakes are traveling from their winter haunt to their summer home. Yup, the serpents are on vacation.

As some of the creatures who use the road are at risk of extinction in the state and the country, this closure is important to protect the animals and keep local wildlife thriving.

Don’t fear though, as Snake Road is still open for people to walk on.

And visitors to the reptile-rich area can even help with counting snake alongside ‘special “Snake Sentinel” volunteers’, who have had training in how to identify the slithering creatures and collect special data on the road.

Catch what the Forest Service had to say below – and if you fancy counting some snakes, maybe give Illinois a visit before May 15.

It should be noted though, that ‘unauthorized collecting and handling of any of these species is prohibited under federal and state law’. So, you know.

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