This is a California Mountain Kingsnake that we spotted while hiking in Kings Canyon National Park. You got the colors right. In Coral Snakes, the red bands are directly touching the yellow bands. There are quite a few harmless snakes that mimic their color banding, but all of them have black bands between the red and yellow bands.

Why do Coral Snakes have their bright colors? While camouflage helps in surprising prey, there is a bigger advantage in warning potential predators that the snake is very dangerous. While its venom is dangerous, by the time the snake bites an attacking predator, the snake could be seriously injured. Advertising that you are dangerous helps prevent that attack before it happens. Other animals mimic dangerous ones to help protect themselves, allowing harmless animals to avoid predators too.