As soon as you arrive at the parking lot you will catch a glimpse of Rattlesnake’s Ledge’s sheer rock face across Rattlesnake Lake. This will surely spark your adventure fire, knowing shortly you will be up there looking down at the spectacular landscape below. At first glance, it may seem as though this hike will be daunting. Luckily, some well-engineered switchbacks will get you to your destination with less effort than you’d expect.

What was once a trail in bad shape from heavy use and no maintenance is now a beautiful adventure through second-growth forest to the rocky ledges. The steepness of the trail has also been lessened and it is now half a mile longer than the old trail.

Rattlesnake Ridge Hike

From the parking lot, walk towards the gate southeast of the lake and follow a short service road about a quarter-mile to reach the trailhead. At the trailhead you will find porta-potties and a kiosk with informative maps, trail information, and a brief history of the area. A well-marked trailhead sign will be to the right, where your hike begins.

After walking along the trail about a hundred feet you will encounter a mossy boulder, the first of many you will encounter along the lower section of the trail. As you ascend the trail and gain elevation, there will be a few lookout spots where you can see Rattlesnake Lake and get an understanding of how far you’ve progressed. At 1.9 miles you will reach a signed junction. Rattlesnake Ledge will be about 100 yards away to your right. The ledge is exposed and can be dangerous to climb. Some hikers have even fallen to their deaths on this ledge, so please exercise caution.

For a longer trek, go back to the junction where the sign points out the trail to East Peak 2.4 miles, or the ridge traverse to Snoqualmie Park, 8.3 miles away. You can also venture a short way from the junction to Middle Ledge and Upper Ledge, which offer sweeping views of the northwest and are less frequented by foot traffic.

Retrace your steps to return to the beginning of the trail.

Rattlesnake Ridge Tips

Tip #1: Seeking solitude? This hike is not for you as it is always crowded unless you go early in the morning.

Tip #2: Parking is abundant and does not require a pass.

Tip #3: Wear layers. As you gain more elevation you’ll notice the weather change, which can be refreshing since you’ll be sweating from the steepness.

Tip #4: If you have a well behaved dog, they can be off the leash and enjoy the hike alongside you.

Tip #5: Rattlesnake Ridge is a family-friendly trail.

Tip #6: Conserve your energy. The hike starts less steep then gradually steepens as you near the vantage point.

Tip #7: On Cedar Falls Road there is a small shop where you can purchase food and drinks before or after your hike.

Trail Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Total Distance: 4 miles

Trailhead Address: Cedar Falls Road, North Bend, WA 98045

Driving Directions via WTA: 

From Seattle, drive east on I-90 to exit 32 for 436th Avenue SE. Turn right onto 436th Avenue SE, also signed as Cedar Falls Road SE. Proceed about four miles down the road to the Rattlesnake Lake parking lot on the right.

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Grizzly Peak Trail, which runs along the long-distance Pacific Crest Trail, takes you through fabled alpine meadows and along Lake Janus. The trail is long, clocking in a distance of 16 miles with 3,400 feet of elevation gain however it is not necessary to go all the way to Grizzly Peak. The gorgeous views of the evergreens and Lake Janus offer enough beauty to cut this trip into a shorter yet still enjoyable one, if you choose to do so.

The trailhead begins at the Smith Brook Trail. Follow this trail for 1 mile to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) at 4,700-foot Union Gap. You will descend about 700 feet into the Rapid River Valley avoiding Union Peak’s steep boulder slopes. You will begin climbing uphill again, traversing a boulder field to emerge on a forested flat harboring patches of blueberries and a fantastic view of Lake Janus.

Continue north on the PCT to cross Janus’s outlet creek, the last guaranteed water source along the Grizzly Peak Trail. The trail then climbs steadily and weaves back and forth along the Cascade Crest where you will encounter a 5,200-foot gap with a jaw dropping view of the jaw-dropping alpines ahead. Labyrinth Mountain, the Poet Ridge and Glacier Peak –  Washington’s 4th larges summit and Snohomish County’s highest peak –  can be observed here as well.

Hike a half mile beyond the gap to reach an overhanging ledge offering views straight down to Glasses Lake. A little farther, gaps in the forest will unveil Margaret Lake lying beneath the west side of crest.

You will need to ascend uphill again, trekking between heather meadows and groves of mountain hemlock.

1,200 feet below, Heather Lake will appear before you. Follow the switchbacks to climb steeply up open slopes that providing breathtaking views of Mount Rainier.

At the end of your 8-mile journey you will reach the top of the 5,597-foot summit of Grizzly Peak. Cascading flowering meadows unroll northward, encouraging you to hike forward all the way to Glacier Peak. However, with another 8 miles to go to return back to the trailhead you may call it a day and decide to just bask in the boundless beauty before you.

Grizzly Peak Trail Tips

Tip 1: No parking pass is needed and parking is generally not difficult to secure as long as you arrive before 10:30 a.m. on weekends.

Tip 2: Plan a hiking adventure. With beautiful Lake Janus nearby, you can make this a multi-day adventure and camp near the lake.

Tip 3: Look out and avoid manure from stock animals on the trail.

Tip 4: Hike with a friend and exercise caution. Black bears have been spotted by hikers before along this trail, particularly near the end of the trail before turning back around.

Rock Trail Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

Rock Trail Total Distance: 16 miles

Trailhead Address: Stevens Pass – Natl Forest Develop Road 6700 Rd., Leavenworth, WA

Trailhead Coordinates: 47.8023, -121.0772

Driving Directions: From Everett, head east on US 2 to Stevens Pass. Continue east for another 4.0 miles and turn left onto Smith Brook Road (FR 6700) when the highway divides. (From Leavenworth, reach the turnoff in 30 miles.) Continue 2.8 miles to the trailhead.

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Larrabee State Park not only has 15 miles of hiking trails, but it also offers boating, freshwater fishing, mountain biking trails, campgrounds. But let’s focus on the state park’s newest trail constructed just a year ago – Rock Trail.

It may have taken 4,000 hours of time donated by hard-working WTA volunteers to make Larrabee’s new Rock Trail but all that effort seemed to pay off! After many weeks of volunteers hauling rocks, constructing stairs, and moving mountains of dirt, the new Rock Trail in Larrabee State Park made its official debut on Saturday, April 26, 2014.

Rock Trail is a 2.4-mile round-trip hike with 1,200 ft. elevation gain. The trailhead begins at the large parking lot at Creator Road, offering stunning views of Puget Sound through the trunks and branches of tall trees that surround the crown of the hill. The trail starts to descend almost immediately. The trek down is steep but offers plenty of opportunities to bask in the beauty of Larrabee State Park.

Within a half-mile of the upper trailhead are 100-foot high sandstone cliffs with staggering rock caves. Enormous mossy boulders surround the trail and add for even more visual stimulation. After exploring the imposing rocks, head down through moss and licorice ferns, crossing a creek via “Bogaards Bridge,” named for the WTA crew leaders who turned this dream trail into a reality. On clear days, just past the bridge, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters.

Rock caves

Continue down three sets of stairs and wind through three more switchbacks until the trail flattens. A huge boulder to the right of the trail indicates the ¾ of a mile mark where you will find an interesting cave to explore.

The end of Rock Trail is marked by a wooden gate with a sign that says ‘Hiker Only.’ You can either make your way back up the same way you came down or there are a few other options. You can take a left turn to the Lost Lake Trail which is 1.5 miles from the start of the Rock Trail. A right turn takes you on a long sweep to the Fragrance Lake Area.

Larrabee State Park Tips

Tip 1: A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to Washington State Parks for day use. The Discover Pass webpage can be accessed by clicking here.

Tip 2: Summer hours are from 6:30 a.m. until dusk. Winter hours are 8 a.m. until dusk.

Tip 3: The water to the campground is shut off in winter.

Tip 4: The best time of year to get a glimpse of the Twin Sisters Range and Mount Baker is on a clear winter day.

Tip 5: Be prepared for a steep incline back up hill! Every step down means you’ll eventually need to come back up.

Tip 6: This is a very popular park. If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful getaway in the woods Larrabee State Park may not be your first choice. A train nearby runs at all hours of the night.

Tip 7: The hikes in Larrabee State Park are designed for moderately experienced hikers. With many hills and steep inclines, they aren’t for the faint of heart.

Rock Trail Difficulty: Moderate

Rock Trail Total Distance: Varies from 2.4 miles to 3.8 Miles

Trailhead address: 245 Chuckanut Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229

Driving Directions

From I-5 South: Take exit 250, and turn right onto Fairhaven Parkway. Go to the second stoplight and turn left on SR 11/Chuckanut Drive. Stay left at next stoplight, and drive five miles to HiLine Road. Turn left, and follow the (sometimes potholed) gravel road 3.5 miles up the hill as it turns into Cleator Road. The parking lot at the top has room for about 25 cars, and there is a privy available.

From I-5 North: Take exit 231. Turn right onto SR 11/Chuckanut Drive, and drive north 14 miles to the Larrabee State Park entrance. About 1 mile north of the park is HiLine Road. Take a right and follow it to the top. The parking lot at the top has room for about 25 cars, and there is a privy available.

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