Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail is a long ridge route in the Snoqualmie–North Bend area that links Snoqualmie Point Park with the Rattlesnake Lake trailhead. It runs as a named trail along the spine of Rattlesnake Mountain through second-growth forest and is mapped as a single hiking route through the corridor of the Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area.

For the full traverse, plan around 10.2–10.5 miles point-to-point, with about 2,000 feet of total elevation gain and a highest point around 3,050 feet. The tread is designated for hiking (no horse use; no bicycle use mapped).

Most parties do the ridge-to-ridge traverse as an up-and-over hike with steady climbing on the front half, then continued climbing toward higher terrain before descending back to the Rattlesnake Lake end. At the long-distance scale, this is a “short hiking-specific member route” through the interconnected trail system rather than a single short loop.

DNR and King County jointly manage the Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area, which includes the trail corridor through mid-elevation conifer forest. Dogs are allowed on leash, and the area is day use only; garbage service isn’t provided and you’ll need to pack out what you pack in.

This route is closely tied to the Rattlesnake Mountain trail network completed in the mid-2000s. Work to connect through the Ledge area and extend the spine produced today’s longer traverse, and the trail system is maintained through that ongoing partnership.

As a hiking route within the Cedar River Watershed recreation area, expect conditions to vary with weather over the ridge: the mapped trail is dirt-surfaced with excellent visibility, but plan for wet/slick patches in shoulder seasons and winter transitions, especially on any naturally muddy sections in lower, flatter drainages.

More information: Wikipedia, Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area - WA DNR, Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area & Trails - Utilities | seattle.gov