Overview

• The unidentified hiker was bitten on August 8 about half a mile down the Savage Gulf trail after picking up a timber rattlesnake by its head.
• First responders—including fire and rescue crews, EMS personnel and park rangers—performed CPR on site and transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
• Grundy County EMA Director Matthew Griffith said preliminary findings suggest an allergic reaction triggered the fatality, though officials are awaiting an official cause of death.
• Timber rattlesnakes are the largest venomous snake species in Tennessee, delivering potent venom that makes any bite a medical emergency.
• State wildlife and park agencies have reiterated guidance for visitors to observe snakes from a safe distance, carry first-aid supplies and seek immediate professional care if bitten.