Happy Trails, Corndog

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Corn Dog – Lake James State Park’s beloved captive corn snake.

For nearly 20 years, Corn Dog captivated audiences both young and old with his guest appearances at countless educational programs inside the park and offsite at area schools, churches and community centers. It’s likely that, over the years, Corn Dog facilitated thousands of program participants’ first physical contact with a live snake. He was always a consummate professional; calm and patient with everyone he met. Corn snakes are one of North Carolina’s most colorful reptiles and renowned for their prowess at catching mice and other small rodents. It’s unclear if the park will seek another educational reptile to replace Corn Dog. Keeping snakes in captivity requires a large investment in time and responsibility. Aside from that, Corn Dog was a one-of-a-kind who will be remembered for decades to come by those who met him.