Rattlesnake Ledge Hiking Guide
Rattlesnake Ledge is probably the single most hiked trail in western Washington, and its popularity is easy to explain: it is forty minutes from Seattle, it needs no parking pass, it climbs a manageable 1,160 feet through second-growth forest, and it ends on a bare rock shelf hanging over Rattlesnake Lake with the Cascades stacked up behind. On a sunny Saturday you will share that shelf with a lot of people.
No Pass, Which Is Rare Here
Almost every good trailhead within an hour of Seattle demands a Discover Pass for state land or a Northwest Forest Pass for Forest Service land. Rattlesnake Ledge, managed around a Seattle Public Utilities watershed and King County land, asks for neither. That single fact drives a great deal of its traffic, and it makes this the default answer for visitors who have not sorted out Washington's parking-pass patchwork.
The Climb
The trail leaves the Rattlesnake Lake parking area and switchbacks steadily up through mossy second-growth Douglas fir and hemlock. The grade is consistent and the tread is wide and well maintained, if rooty and muddy in the wet months. Two miles up, the forest opens onto the ledge. Most people take two to three hours round trip. There are upper ledges beyond the main viewpoint that are quieter and only slightly further.
The Ledge Is a Real Cliff
The viewpoint is an unfenced rock shelf above a long drop, and people have died falling from it. It gets crowded, the rock is slick when wet, and everyone is looking at their phone. Keep well back from the edge, keep a firm hand on children, and be aware that the best-looking photo spots are the most dangerous ones. This is the single thing worth taking seriously on an otherwise friendly trail.
Crowds and Timing
Parking fills by mid-morning on any fair-weather weekend, and the overflow situation on the access road is poor. Weekday mornings and the shoulder seasons are dramatically better. Autumn and spring are arguably the best times anyway: fewer people, moody light off the lake, and the forest at its greenest. Winter is entirely hikeable, though the upper trail can hold ice and the ledge becomes genuinely hazardous when frozen.
Dogs and the Watershed
Leashed dogs are permitted on the trail. Rattlesnake Lake itself sits beside the Cedar River Watershed, Seattle's drinking water source, and the adjacent protected land is closed to public entry — stay on the marked trail and out of signed watershed areas. There is an education centre at the lake worth a stop, and toilets at the trailhead, which is more than most Washington trailheads offer.
Hiking tips for Rattlesnake Ledge
- Come here first if you have not sorted a Discover Pass or Northwest Forest Pass — this trailhead needs neither.
- Stay well back from the unfenced ledge; it is a genuine cliff and it has killed people, usually while they were posing for photos.
- Arrive before mid-morning on fair weekends or expect to circle for parking with poor overflow options.
- Continue to the upper ledges for a similar view with a fraction of the people, only slightly further on.
- Treat the ledge as off-limits when frozen — the rock is slick and the drop is unforgiving in winter conditions.
Nearby trails to explore
- Little Si
- Twin Falls
- Mount Si
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Rattlesnake Ledge is where most Seattle hikers start, and it is far better with company at an early hour. Use TrailMates to find Puget Sound hikers heading out to North Bend before the lot fills. Download the TrailMates app to connect.