Rattlesnake Lake

Located 35 miles east of Seattle and just south of North Bend, this breathtaking 111-acre lake is part of a recreation area that includes the nearby Rattlesnake Ledge Trail, and picnic facilities. It also provides access to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. The recreation area is especially popular during the summer boats for boating, fishing, and hikes.

Spring-fed by the nearby Cedar River, the water level of the lake varies in the summer months depending on the accumulated snowpacks in the mountain. During the Fall, the many tree stumps in the lake are exposed when the water level is low. These stumps are often used by birds as nesting sites.

Despite its name, there are no rattlesnakes in the area.  The story goes a Seattle pioneer Arthur A. Denny mistook the rattle of seed pods nearby into thinking he was attacked by the poisonous snake. Actually, there are no poisonous snakes in Western Washington.

The watershed supplies 65% of greater Seattle’s unfiltered drinking water to nearly 800,000 people.

The nearby Rattlesnake Ledge Trail is an easy trail for all levels of hikers with views of the Cedar River watershed, Mount Si, Mount Washington, Rattlesnake Lake, and Chester Morse Lake.

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