Rattlesnake Lake

What a tini-​tiny lake! We went in the winter, so there weren’t so many people and the snow did make it quite magical, albeit a wintry kind of enchanting.
Of the people that were there, were quite a few people with dogs and very small children. It is a level walk, so it’s great for weak knees, wobbly toddler legs and a short outting to get the blood moving.

love this place, you can walk your dogs on the trail without a leash, as long as they are under voice control, been coming here for years… they can go swim in the lake, and run on the sands at the north end.
note: sept 2015… the lake this year is so low, you can actualy see remains of the town of Moncton that rattlesnake lake used to be… chimneys, walls, a door way, foundations, and small red bricks all over. Moncton was up the north end of the lake, so you have to either park as far up as you can (near the gate to cedar river watershed) or you can walk down to the very end along the trail. you have to walk amongst the tree roots, and you will find whats left of the old ghost town!

I went here on a fishing trip with some friends. The lake didn’t really have a lot of fish where we were at though. You can always see people at the peak of the mountain looking down. Maybe next summer we’ll attempt hiking to the top, but not because everyone else is doing it, but because it’s literally a hike — a good challenge.
This spot is amazing to bring family for just about anything. Whether it’s fishing, hiking, or kayaking, it has something for everyone.
Do note: this year, and I’m not certain if it’s every year, but the water level does seem to go down a lot.

What a wonderful, utterly bucolic place to spend time fishing with your grandson! That’s what we did last week. We visited the lake on a Tuesday afternoon so it wasn’t overly crowded. After we fished for a while we found some really big rocks to dive off of into the water — I was reminded of a similar scene in the movie «Grownups» — lot’s of fun!

I don’t know about majestic or invigorating (I want to hike with the chick that said that) but it’s a really beautiful little lake outside of North Bend/​Snoqualmie. It’s not close to Seattle, by the way… but if you have a dog or little kids who love exploring it could be totally worth spending a day up there.
On sunny days and weekends it’s extremely crowded, but the walks around the lake, the rocky shore when the water level is down and the hike up to the ledge makes it a lot of fun to explore. Putting kayaks in would also be lovely.
I think as a Seattlite I prefer something with the same features a little closer to town, but if you’re closer it is highly suggested. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds!

Gorgeous scenery, ambitious hiking, lake activities, and picnicking. What more could you want? What’s even better is that it’s just about a 30 – 45 minute drive outside of Seattle, so it makes a great idea for a day trip.
I visited Rattlesnake for the first time over a particularly warm weekend in Seattle, and it was CROWDED! Not so much that you couldn’t find a place to sit but enough that it wasn’t a quiet/​peaceful experience. Parking was outta control, but if you are patient and follow people, you can find a spot that’s not too far of a walk from the main trails and lake area.
I did not hike, I actually came here for a picnic, but it looks very popular here. There are adequate grassy areas for staking a claim with a blanket, and I did notice some BBQs scattered around. Some people really get into it with hammocks, tents, etc. It is very dog-​friendly, which is cool, and there are lots of people who swim, boat, fish, and paddle board here.
Fun fact: In May 1915, the community of Moncton, located along the northern shore of Rattlesnake Lake, experienced one of the slowest floods in King County history. There’s actually an underwater village! Pretty neat.
Must visit Rattlesnake if you’re into the outdoors and want to make the most of the Seattle summer sunshine. Even if you’re a vampire such as myself, you can find a nice patch of shade, read a book, and people watch.

This review is for the education center at Rattlesnake Lake. The center has a bunch of rooms, some of which you can rent for picnics and private events. We had one of those rooms for a day time get together. It was great because people could go on the hike and have a place to call homebase.
There is refrigeration in your private room and of course you can bring your own food. They have electrical outlets, bathrooms, and tables and chairs for your party to enjoy. The whole area is quite nice and there are lots of educational, fun things for kids to do. It feels a bit like summer camp!

Amazing is the word! Truly one of the best attraction in Washington. Mother nature has done this lake justice! I do recommend you come during the weekday because this place can get crowded and parking will be BAD!

Great place, wonderful place to float on the lake and beat the summer heat wave. Only knocking it down a star due to the cleanliness of the port-​o-​potties, but that is to be expected.
The parking can get crazy but there is lots of places to park within a short walk to the water, highly recommended!

One of the best times of my life!
Despite the nightmare parking and very crowded park, rattle snake lake is a big slice of heaven in summer months.
I had a beautiful pick nick and grill out with some of my favorite people while leisurely resting under tall shady trees. The scenery surrounding rattle snake lake is so invigorating, majestic, organic. It makes me feel like part of the nature, like a budding flower sipping the melted glacial water that bleeds down the mountain in crystal beams, like a blossom dancing in the sunbeams catching photosynthesis.
And swimming. I never knew that I was the little mermaid! We were «floating» on our blowup chairs and felt just like blissful children at Disney world.
Everything here is clean, natural, and enjoyable. The outhouses weren’t bad when I visited. We stayed until dusk, and it never became «hoodsy» or shady. I felt safe.

Just an absolutely beautiful place for a hike, short or long along a beautiful lake. Take the walk around the lake for an easy stroll or hike up the mountain for a bit more strenous one. Great walk with kids or dogs.

Great spot for either hiking or kicking it on the water. Being from the east cost was surprised that it was cool people where allowed to grill and drink by the water. Weather you are getting in the water, or going on a hike it’s a gorgeous spot.

Really need to watch where you step on this one because this trail is one of those where there are rocks and roots all over the place.
The trail isn’t difficult or too easy. When you reach the top, there was a nice overlook to the lake below. This isn’t a state park or national forest park, no parking pass required. Thus arrive early.

This is a perfectly nice lake to relax next to in the summertime. You’d be more likely to find me climbing up the trail to the Ledge though. The lake is surrounded by trees, and has picnic tables interspersed, as well as free parking.

Take the hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge. It’s an moderate hike, but the view is amazing.

This is a decent hike. The view at the ridge is really nice. The trail is quite crowded. It is reasonably maintained but could have better footing especially with all the traffic here. It’s a good hike for a beginning hiker.

Rattlesnake Lake is beautiful, and it’s nice for swimming in on a hot day because the water is very cold. Since it’s only 40 minutes to an hour from the Seattle area, it’s well worth checking out when the weather is nice. Be warned, though, that since it’s so easily accessible it also gets very, very busy. There are port-​a-​potties available, but on a busy day you will want to avoid them if at all possible.
If you come to the lake, be sure to try the Rattlesnake Ridge hike as well. It has its own Unilocal page, so you can search for it to read reviews of the hike.

Came here for a hike with some out of town friends, and it was the most gorrgeous sunny Seattle day that one can wish for. The lake is amazing and the water is calm.
The hike was more on the moderate side for me, but I absolutely LOVED it. And when you reach the ledge it’s like you’re on top of the world and noone can get to you.
Definitely recommended!

Great Place. did not have a chance to do the hike but hopefully soon. The overall lake is nice to explore. As for fishing I can’t say but seems that most people go out on the lake but for kids shore fishing should be fine. If it was closer I would head out there more often. If you have kids they also have the interpretive center which is suppose to be good.

A friend took us here on a cloudy day and we weren’t impressed. We decided to go back and give it another try on a clear, beautiful day… it was amazing! From the parking lot, follow the signs for the Rattlesnake Ridge Trail. You will arrive at the lake and have access to clean bathroom facilities (port-​a-​potties!). The climb was strenuous for us (casual hikers) but we saw a variety of people (older people, kids, and tiny dogs) hiking it so we know it is probably rated easy/​moderate. The trail is well-​kept with sections that have built-​in stairs. Most of the trail is wide enough so two people can pass each other with ease.
It took us about an hour to climb, but when you get to the top it is well worth it! The view of the «Issaquah Alps» and Rattlesnake Lake are beautiful, so make sure you bring a camera.
Before you go, search a bit on the internet and to find info about the hike. Here is one website to use for info on directions to get there: