Hiker Meredith Langley experienced a serene stroll in Jeffries Creek Park, South Carolina, which quickly turned alarming upon encountering a large brown snake near the creek.

Langley shared her unsettling discovery on Facebook, where her image of the enormous snake, resembling the thickness of a tree root, astonished many users. One shocked commenter remarked, “It’s probably swallowed somebody’s child already.” Numerous individuals speculated that the snake was a giant cottonmouth, a venomous species commonly referred to as a water moccasin. These snakes are frequently mistaken for the non-threatening brown water snakes that inhabit the region. Langley’s cautionary post ignited discussions among online users, with some expressing intentions to refrain from hiking in the future. This startling encounter serves as a crucial reminder for hikers to exercise vigilance while traversing the trails of South Carolina.