Rattlesnake Mountain — Sunday, Jun. 1, 2014

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

I explored Rattlesnake Mountain on Sunday with friends—we were looking for a quieter trail where we wouldn't see very many other people. I had hiked Rattlesnake Ledge before but had never made the approach to Rattlesnake Lake from this side of the mountain. Trail-wise, this was a great hike. The path is extremely well-signed and well-built, with several nice lookouts along the way. Although the trail was amazing, the views (outside of the lookouts) were not. We were in the trees most of the time and only saw one songbird the entire time we were walking. Although the views on this trail aren't great (unless you're standing at one of the trail's lookouts), it is a pretty good workout. There's a decent incline that will keep you going up, up, up. It's not steep enough to be overwhelming—just steep enough to stretch your legs and make you feel like you're getting some exercise. One thing to watch out for on this trail is dogs. We saw many, and almost all of them were off-leash. At one point, an off-leash dog that was far from its owner lunged at my friend's dog (who was on leash). My Vote: This is a good conditioning hike but not the place to go if you want to be constantly surrounded by good views. Considerations: - You'll need a Discover Pass (which you can purchase from your phone at the trailhead ... pretty cool) - This trail is popular with hikers who have off-leash dogs - This trail is not mountain bike or horse friendly