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    Rattlesnake Ridge

    4.4 (170 reviews)

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    Daniel K.

    On a good sunny day this trial is ALWAYS is going to be packed @ 10am-3pm. Went on this hike multiple times and would recommend getting there early: - 7am-9:30am or later 4pm-till park is closed * Hike isn't too long, gets pretty steep near the end. Views are amazing and is worth the struggle, trust me.

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    Kevin F.

    A fun and fairly moderate popular hike. Definitely much less crowded during the week days, and with longer days coming, can be a great late afternoon hike. Posted that gates are open till 8 pm now, could go later in the summer? It's a moderate zig zag trail through the woods, this time of year, it was great to see salmon berry bushes blooming, trillium and first time seeing yellow violets. It was cool to run into a garter snake basking in the sun, which was a huge blessing today, so nice to enjoy the sun and hike in shorts again. I tried hiking past all the amazing views of the Cascades, Snoqualmie and Cedar river watersheds (which were well worth the hike) and attempted to hike to the point, but ran into snow at 2700' elevation, good thing I was just exploring and expanding the adventure, I was not prepared to hike in snow, lol Beautiful woods and views throughout, fun to look at the accidentally man made Rattlesnake lake, interesting history there. Definitely looking forward to more hikes throughout the area. This is popular for many reasons.. fairly easy hike and amazing views. As it warms up, make sure to keep hydrated. Great to sit at the top and enjoy a snack and the views as well. Soaking in the sun. Cheers!

    Doggie friendly and lovely spot to sit
    Elisabeth P.

    When we decided to rent a house in North Bend you can bet your biscuits we had some iconic PNW hikes in mind and Rattlesnake is five mins out our front door..I know I can feel the envy. This is not only a fantastic hike but also has other great amenities in the area including other trails and a beautiful lake. We had our engagement photos taken at the lake in the winter and it made for a beautiful snowy backdrop. The lake is a great place in the summer for camping and fun family activities. There's a large parking lot so even if the trail is busy, there's usually parking available. The trail is 5.1 miles out and back with a 1469 ft elevation gain, so be prepared for leg day. Once at the top you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the lake. At this point you can continue on other longer trails to more challenging peaks if you want. This is a ridiculously popular hike, so much so that it can be difficult to enjoy nature at all, especially at the top with people hanging out on the rocks and being loud or blaring music. My favorite time that I've hiked Rattlesnake was actually the sunrise hike where we started in the dark and ended up at the lookout point right at sunrise. It was far less crowded and people were more respectful of other's experiences..or maybe they were all still sleepy. It's a great hike with a moderate challenge level. The incline can be tough on the knees so maybe consider walking poles to help. This is also a dog friendly trail so you could always bring your beast and let them pull you up the trail

    Omar M.

    My Seattle trip would not have been complete without a beautiful hike! Hiking up Rattlesnake Ridge was a really breathtaking and peaceful hike. If you're looking for some "me time" for reflecting or if you're going with good friends, this trail is the place to visit. Note, I would not recommend you bring any children due to the steep drop offs along the way as well as the dangerous cliff atop the summit. The trail was well maintained and its directions pretty obvious. -It would be hard to lose sight of the path. Some parts of it were craggy and rooted, but they're just keeping it natural. I love that they didn't try to make it perfect as it would have taken away from the trail's natural beauty. The forest was lush and vibrant with colors. From the ubiquitous bright green moss to the exposed red roots and fallen logs to the fiery autumn leaves that surrounded me. And that was just the beginning! I started my hike late in the afternoon on e the first week of Daylight Savings Time. I almost turned around to ensure I wouldn't run out of light, but was I glad I didn't. The spectacular views at the top was so rewarding. It was as if God reminded me to never give up out of fear and that there is a reward for your perseverance. Enjoy the pics!

    Feel like you're on top of the world.
    Alyanna C.

    Come here early on a weekend or on a weekday. Like try to get to the top of the ridge before 10-11 am, otherwise you're going to see crowds. No seriously, to avoid the "turnt" up crowd drinking at the top, try coming making you way up here when it's less busy as your chances will decrease. Since Rattlesnake Trail and Rattlesnake Ridge aren't too far from Seattle, it's a popular trek for college students who think it's really cool to bring bluetooth speakers and play their crappy music loudly. Only in the PNW do you expect a dance party on the top of a mountain.... some of us just want to enjoy the sounds and peace of nature. Not listen to your "turnt" music with profanity (really, there are small kids around). There's a time and place for that, Rattlesnake Ride should not be that time. The other thing that pisses me off about the drinking crowd is that they LITTER the top - there aren't any trash cans in the ridge area, so you're expected to pick up after yourself and dispose at the base. After a few drinks, I imagine these kids tend to overlook their Rainier beer cans squeezed between rock crevices as a makeshift cup holder. Now ignoring all that... the view is just gorgeous. Which is why it still gets 4 stars. I was lucky enough nab the front row seat of the view just to enjoy it, snap some photos, then move out of my way for others to enjoy. I think coming here spring or early summer is best, since the lake will still be full. Be careful when trying to take pictures near the edge, since the last death was in 2013 - it's a long way down after all. Before 10 am the ridge is reasonable, but it seems to get really crowded after 11 am. In addition to no trash cans, there are also no bathroom facilities, so you'll have to wait for the porto-potties at the base of the trail. Something to keep in mind when planning. The hike up to Rattlesnake Ridge is a beginner hike with little switchbacks and moderate elevation that will make your muscles work - 4 miles round trip. Don't let that fool you, because going up will be difficult on your legs. Otherwise it's a great beginner hike and the view is worth it. Assuming you're with the right crowd at the ridge. If this ridge is crowded, hike a little further to get more views and less crowds. Also this goes without saying... DO NOT TRY PLAYING POKEMON GO HERE. Or if you do, focus on your path... not on the phone. You're going to endanger yourself and others if you pay too much attention to it. Besides signal is pretty spotty.

    View over North Bend from Rattlesnake Ledge
    Jens J.

    OK, you have a mound of paperwork sitting in front of you that really does need to be tackled. What do you do? Well, you shove the paperwork aside and go on a day hike at Rattlesnake Ridge! I'd never done this trail before, and was surprised at the contradictory information I read on various websites for this hike. For the record, you take 436th St SE at Exit 32 on I-90. Also it is 3.5 miles from the freeway exit to the (no fee) trailhead parking lot at Rattlesnake Lake. The lot may be full, but if it is, park along the roadway leading to the parking lot. Something else too, several of the websites bill the trail as easy. No, you don't have to use crampons and ropes, but you will get a solid workout. About all I previously knew about this hike was that people have tossed common sense aside and somehow fallen to their death from one of the trail's ledges. I also remember a story from about six or seven years ago when some guy claimed he was jogging on this trail, fell and was injured. So to protect himself from the elements, he covered himself with leaves. The guy was reported missing and a massive manhunt ensued. The guy claimed he got better and was able to resume his run and was spotted near Tiger Mountain a couple days later. I have a hard time believing his tale. Yesterday was sunny and not too warm, perfect for a hike. It reminded me of being in DC - completely surrounded by tour groups. Despite the congestion, excellent trail etiquette was exhibited by most all. It was interesting to me that maybe only 1 in 10 of the hikers were speaking English. Rattlesnake Ledge, which is the primary turnaround location on the trail for most hikers is 1.9 miles (with a 1100' elevation gain) from the shore of Rattlesnake Lake, a murky green body of water. It took me 55 minutes to get to the ledge. The views from the ledge are good, but not stunning. The ledge will be crowded with hikers on a sunny day. At the ledge, you have the option to continue on up to East Peak, which is another 2.4 miles. I did chose to continue on to East Peak. What was amazing is that while the trail to the ledge is crowded, I didn't encounter another soul on the East Peak trail. Up on this stretch, you will get your peace and solitude. Unfortunately, I had to turn around before getting all the way to East Peak because it was starting to get dark. The trails, both above and below the ledge, are well maintained.

    The peak!
    Lauren S.

    Amazing views, and not too much to get there. Word of advice though: get there EARLY and go on a weekday. This is the basic bitch hike of Washington (literally everybody and their mommas do this hike) so it's ALWAYS packed. If you go on a weekday, you're lucky enough to only have it be a little overcrowded opposed to completely overcrowded.

    starting out!
    Heather W.

    I grew up in the high desert of southern california. nature involved tumble weeds and joshua trees...horney toads and dusky roads... I currently live in San Diego which is also a desert (thought our landscape architects would like to deny it - hence our constant drought problem!) Soooo...lush nature is a bit lacking for me. On a trip to Seattle this past memorial weekend my one demands was to experience the beauty outside of the city and do a bit of mild/medium difficulty hiking. Nothing hardcore...but still providing a decent workout along with the green green green beauty. Thanks to some local help on the talk forum, I was recommended rattlesnake ridge by a few people. As an out-of-towner I really appreciated the easy navigation right off the 90 freeway. It was only about a 30 min drive from the city and the entrance is right off the road. You can't miss it, all the cars line the sides right outside the lake and start of the trail. I got confused because the wikipedia directions mentioned by 'm i' are all accurate but the part about the education center caused necessary confusion because if you get to that point you have gone too far. The trail is about a 2 mile climb to the top lookout, steady inclination the entire way but nothing too strenuous - though the view at the top overlooking to the rattlesnake lake makes any minor huffing and puffing well worth it! It's nicely shaded nearly the entire time keeping you cool while going up, which is another incentive. But I will state that it IS a popular trail. There were lots of families with kids and dogs. Lot's of working dogs I might add...poor little dogs looking like mules with gear strapped to them! I went on a Sunday at around 10:30 so I imagine it's less crowded if you head out early. At the time we were leaving after noon it had exemplified with lots of people coming down as well. So if you don't really like lots of people walking along with you and kids chatting about x boxes it might not be for you. The view at the top is truly amazing. You just have to get past the 50 million other people checking it out along side you. If you head on the trail to the left when you come to the top (right taking you to the ridge) you can find a smaller lookout that people don't frequent - that's where we ended up having lunch. It's cool because you look across and can see the ridge with all the peeps on it. Another cool thing is that there is a shopping center one exit ahead of where you get off so you can gets some sandwiches or something at the safeway before heading out. Overall it satisfied all my desires: close to the city, easy navigation, easy parking, decent cardio, spectacular view, and plenty of North West beauty. I'd definitely recommend for anyone wanting a convenient taste of some nature for a few hours.

    Rewarding view!
    Courtney L.

    This was my first hike EVER. I went with a group of 3 others and it took us a little over an hour to reach the top. People told me that Rattlesnake is an easy hike, but it actually ended up being more difficult than I expected. It's considered short at just 2.2 miles both ways, however it's mainly uphill in a zig-zag pattern. Tennis shoes are just fine as the pathways are fairly firm with no loose rocks....however they are pretty narrow; often times you need to move to the side for people passing the opposite direction. The view is wonderful and worth it, even on a partly cloudy day. At the top, you have to maneuver around / across some huge boulders that were difficult to grip at times. I had a good first experience here and would definitely recommend it. For a first time hiker, I wouldn't call it easy, but it's not extremely difficult either. Just take your time and occasional breaks - don't rush it. Kids were hiking it, which gave me some internal motivation! Like others have mentioned, you'll find a variety of hikers here in terms of age and experience. Definitely start in the morning (9 am or earlier) to avoid the crowds. It's a popular destination and the peak becomes pretty crowded around noon.

    Kristen L.

    This is the most "bang for your buck" hike. In other words, the amount of work it takes to get to the top is minimal compared to the view you get. I hiked Rattlesnake three times this past summer and fall and it never gets old. If you're a more experienced hiker, I would consider this an easier hike. On the other hand, if you're a novice hiker, this hike can be a bit challenging. Regardless of how experienced you are though, Rattlesnake is great because of the awesome view you get of mountains and the lake below when you reach the first lookout point (about two miles up). After reaching the first lookout point, there's a trail to hike an additional four miles or so to a separate point, which I would like to try sometime. However, I can't imagine that view being much better than at the first lookout point.

    Trail
    Ruiza A.

    First Time Hiker here & did a roundtrip hike for about 3 hrs. *You don't need a permit or a parking pass to do this hike! Absolutely picked the perfect hike on a nice sunny day! Folks, listen to everyone's advice and go on a sunny WEEKDAY. I went on a Friday and I can imagine how crowded it would be on the weekends. (i would hate my pace being interupted while i'm speed walking up and running down, since most parts of the trail isn't really big enough to easily overtake someone) You would also be able to snag a nice spot to eat lunch and gaze peacefully at the magnificent (and i mean magnificent!) view and also get photo ops without much ppl on the background. lol! We were able to snag a spot near the ledge! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/09tBOySbkhC20zaj9bJ9RA?select=CvaELTK6Q6ZUxm0o78Ckxg When u get to the "top" u will come across a sign to either keep going further to the left OR a few feet to the right to "Rattlesnake LEDGE". I suggest going to the ledge for the view. Once u get to the ledge don't just stay on the the top of the ledge but maybe move down a few feet so you are overlooking the lake. U would be able to lay down and get your tan on if you like too! lol! (saw a couple ppl doing that) Saw a lot of dogs so don't leave Fido at home so he can have some fun. ;) Warning: Yes it's about 2 miles, but don't take it lightly since the hike is inclined most of the way *whew* Now completely sore but totally worth it! Doing it again!

    Serene
    Lexi R.

    If you are hiking to see beautiful views of the lake, read on and learn from our mistake! We typed in "rattlesnake ridge" into google maps and headed on over. We arrived at the parking lot and looked at the trail map. It was only then that we realized our google maps brought us to the northern most point of rattlesnake (the snoqualmie side), so the hike to the lake was about ten miles one way. We didn't have the time nor energy to hike 20 miles round trip. So we simply went 2.5 miles up through the gorgeous forest and then just went back to the car the same way we came. Lesson learned! If you want to hike with a view of the lake, type in rattlesnake ledge, not rattlesnake ridge, into google maps. It was still a great hike regardless. Another good thing about parking on the north side is that we were only 10 minutes away from snoqualmie falls, so we checked that out after too.

    From the parking lot.
    Ashley S.

    I came on a mostly sunny day in March, arrived around 11 am and was able to find a parking spot in the lot as someone was leaving. Pros: Great conditioning hike. It's switchbacks the whole way up but they are gradual. I am a moderate hiker and would have done this hike as a novice looking for an initial challenge without overwhelming myself. The view is nice for the minor amount of effort it takes to drive here and to hike. There are way better views in the PNW but may not be as close for those who live in the city. We made it up in 1 hour which included a slower pace to avoid a guy with his personal radio blasting. Cons: Tons of "hikers" and lots of people who don't observe the leave no trace rule, blast their music the whole way up (ran into several of these), and have no hiking etiquette. This has to be the strangest hike I've been on, and I've hiked to places all over the PNW, Cali, Alaska, Utah, and Colorado. I am used to a hike where people celebrate with a beer or two at the top. On this occasion a group of people were blocking a view point and had an entire bag of hard liquor they were drinking from. They then proceeded to all smoke their joints.... It's Washington, but still...the ledge is filled with people (45+) wanting to enjoy fresh air and a view along with their kids, friends, and dogs. Also, prepare to watch people litter and scream from up and down the trail. If this bothers you see my suggestions below. I would still do this hike again, I think it would be more enjoyable with some adjustments. I will come on a weekday, extra early (before the drinkers are there). Before I came here I did a bit more research on this trail and found two extra points to hike to off the main trail. Those were totally worth it! I'll be back to watch a sunrise with my coffee and a snack from one of the other view points.

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    Ask the Community - Rattlesnake Ridge

    Ice skating there right now?

    What is the exit number to go to Rattlesnake Ridge?

    Exit 32 off the I-90E :) http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/rattle-snake-ledge

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Rattlesnake Ridge

    On a sunny day you can see for miles, but Rattlesnake Lake just below is particularly remarkable on a clear day.

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