May Hike – Rattlesnake Ledge
Our May hike will be to Rattlesnake Ledge. This is a lovely woodsy hike that leads to several viewpoints. At the top is a wide rocky ledge that provides an amazing panoramic view of Rattlesnake and Chester Morse Lakes, Mt Si, and the Snoqualmie Valley. The hike is 4 miles round trip and is moderately strenuous, gaining about 1200 ft on the way up, but the trail is graded nicely so it never feels very difficult.
It’s a great way to get a mountaintop view without too much work! It is also one of the most popular hikes in the area because of its proximity to Seattle, but shouldn’t be too crowded on a weekday. If some folks would prefer to do something less taxing, they could simply wander along the walkway by the lake.
Drive to the Rattlesnake Lake parking lot (no parking pass required), aiming to arrive by 10:15-10:30 AM, then walk toward the lake to gather and meet at the kiosk on the way to the bathroom; see Google Maps link. From there, we’ll walk the wide path leading around the North end of the lake to the kiosk at the trailhead. We should be back in Seattle by about 3 PM.
People who want to carpool should meet in front of the Seattle Asian Art Museum at 9:30 AM and leave ASAP as the drive is approximately 45-50 minutes. Bring water and lunch. Or you could go out afterwards. There are several good lunch spots in nearby North Bend, such as The North Bend Bakery (has soup and sandwiches), or Twede’s Cafe, or the North Bend Bar & Grill.
Our May hike will be to Rattlesnake Ledge. This is a lovely woodsy hike that leads to several viewpoints. At the top is a wide rocky ledge that provides an amazing panoramic view of Rattlesnake and Chester Morse Lakes, Mt Si, and the Snoqualmie Valley. The hike is 4 miles round trip and is moderately strenuous, gaining about 1200 ft on the way up, but the trail is graded nicely so it never feels very difficult.
It’s a great way to get a mountaintop view without too much work! It is also one of the most popular hikes in the area because of its proximity to Seattle, but shouldn’t be too crowded on a weekday. If some folks would prefer to do something less taxing, they could simply wander along the walkway by the lake.
Drive to the Rattlesnake Lake parking lot (no parking pass required), aiming to arrive by 10:15-10:30 AM, then walk toward the lake to gather and meet at the kiosk on the way to the bathroom; see Google Maps link. From there, we’ll walk the wide path leading around the North end of the lake to the kiosk at the trailhead. We should be back in Seattle by about 3 PM.
People who want to carpool should meet in front of the Seattle Asian Art Museum at 9:30 AM and leave ASAP as the drive is approximately 45-50 minutes. Bring water and lunch. Or you could go out afterwards. There are several good lunch spots in nearby North Bend, such as The North Bend Bakery (has soup and sandwiches), or Twede’s Cafe, or the North Bend Bar & Grill.