Rattlesnake Trail — Saturday, Apr. 21, 2018

My wife and I finally got to hike Rattlesnake trail.  We'd been trying for a while but could never find access to the trail.  You either need to wade across Panjab Creek (which is a relatively wide and swift creek) at the trailhead proper, or you need to go to Panjab Campground which is another mile south on NF4713.  There is a downed tree that has been planed flat that is easy to cross, but not very easy to find.  It is not located in the campground.  There is a footpath on the south side of the Panjab Campground parking lot that leads into the woods.  Follow that for a few yards down to the creek to the log crossing.  Once you get across, follow the path north along the creek for about another 100 yards and you will come to the actual trail.

Rattlesnake Trail is a difficult hike.  Total distance is 6.5 miles to the junction at Indian Corral with a total elevation gain of 3000'.  There is very little up and down.  It's pretty much just up up up and the first half of the trail is very steep.  It starts at 3000' and ascends to 5100' in less than 3 miles.  It switchbacks up the saddle that separates Panjab Creek from the Tucannon River.  Within the first half mile there are views of the Panjab drainage to the south and the Tucannon drainage to the north with the Palouse on the horizon. 

Once you get to Alnus Springs, the grade starts to taper off a little bit and the trail passes through wide open rolling fields the rest of the way till you get to Indian Corral at 5750'.  

We were hoping to make it to Squaw Springs along the Mt. Misery Trail, but the steepness of the trail, the weight of our winter packs, and the wet heavy melting snow wore us out, so we decided to camp at Dunlap Springs near Indian Corral.  We encountered our first significant snow fields at around 4250'.  We post holed it through intermittent snow fields for a while, but once we got to Alnus Springs at about 5100', we snow shoed up.  I don't think you could make it past Red Fir Springs without them.  Maybe in another week or two, you could make it to Indian Corral without snow shoes, but you should probably bring them just in case. 

There were some wildflowers in bloom, but not a lot.  I think in another couple weeks, Rattlesnake trail will be prime.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of ticks out there right now.  Somehow we managed to not pick up any on our first day in.  However on the second day out, we had so many ticks on us, we lost count.    

Rattlesnake trail is one of the best trails in The Wenaha, in my opinion.  The trailhead is easy to get to and accessible year-round.  There are two springs along the way and another at the end, so water shouldn't a problem in the Summer.  And it ends at Indian Corral which is the junction for the Mt. Misery Trail, Crooked Creek Trail, and Panjab Trail, making it an ideal starting point for longer journeys.  The trail seemed fairly well maintained/used compared to some of the trails in the Wenaha.  The WTA had done some work in the lower part of the trail a few days earlier.  There were a lot of snowfields, so we lost the trail quite a few times, but when we found it, it was easy to follow.  It is very challenging, which is a plus for some, but may be something to consider if you're just looking for a leisurely hike through the woods.  There is the steepness that I've mentioned.  Also, the trail follows the ridgeline for most of the way, so you are exposed to the sun.  I would imagine that Rattlesnake trail is brutally hot in the Summer.  There is also a lot of loose crumbled basalt on the trail, so it makes it very tricky when descending, especially with a heavy pack.  

FYI, I saw no rattlesnakes on this trip.