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About this place
Awesome views of Mt. Si, the Snoqualmie Valley, Mount Teneriffe, and North Bend. No crowds (You can hike on a Saturday here, I promise!). Close to Seattle and surrounding areas. New, well-maintained trail. Can be hiked year round, but could be snowy in winter. If you're planning to do the full hike, park a shuttle car at Rattlesnake Lake.
The Rattlesnake Mountain Trail is often associated with Rattlesnake Ledge, one of the busiest hiking destinations around. But most people don't know that you can continue on from Rattlesnake Ledge another 10 miles to Snoqualmie Point Park. Using the Snoqualmie Point Trailhead, this hike is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Rattlesnake Ledge. The trailhead at Snoqualmie Point is relatively new and has only been connected to Rattlesnake Ledge & Rattlesnake Lake since 2007. With 10 miles of trail separating the two points, there is a lot of solitude to be found, even while technically on the same mountain.
From Snoqualmie Point Park, you will quickly ascend into the forest. You climb quickly, covering over 2,000ft in your first 2.5 miles. The trail winds in and out of clear-cut logging areas and second-growth forests as you cross a series of logging roads and power lines. The changes in scenery are quite drastic as you climb, popping in and out of dense forest into open logged fields. It's a very unique experience.
2.5 miles in you'll come to your first stopping point, Stan's Overlook (2,100ft). From this viewpoint, you can see Mt. Si and the Snoqualmie Valley. At 4.9 miles you'll come across your next destination, Grand Prospect. Most people seem to turn around here if they are not going the full 10+ miles to Rattlesnake Lake. At 6.0 miles you reach your highest point, East Peak (3,500ft). Amazing views of viewpoint Mt. Si and North Bend can be had from here. Then luckily, it's all downhill to Rattlesnake Ledge and Lake! If you've thought ahead and stashed a car at Rattlesnake Lake, the drive back to Snoqualmie Point Park will be about 10-12 minutes.
You can also finish your day with a meal / drink at Snoqualmie Casino, only about 2 minutes from the trailhead!
Getting there:
To Snoqualmie Point Park: take I-90 east to Exit 27. At the end of the off-ramp, go right and follow the road to the end. Go through the gate on the right to enter the trailhead. Straight ahead is a separate parking area for Snoqualmie Point.
To Rattlesnake Lake: take I-90 to Exit 32. Go south on 436th Ave. SE, turning into Cedar Falls Rd. SE - follow this main road 3.1 miles to the parking area for Rattlesnake Lake.