Hikers won’t get snakebit at this recreation area

ROAMING THE GRID

The Rattlesnake Ledge Trail leads to such scenic views. Photos by Tom Victoria

Outdoor enthusiasts bit by the hiking bug have ample locales to check out in Washington State. Among those scenic vistas is the Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area near North Bend.

Situated more than 30 miles east of Seattle, the recreation area provides a view of the freshwater lake, which is linked to the Cedar River, and access to the Rattlesnake Mountain Trail.

Although swimming in the 111-acre lake is not prohibited, there are no lifeguards. Swimmers do so at their own risk. Only self-propelled and electric motor boats are permitted in the water.

The two-mile Rattlesnake Ledge Trail leads to picturesque sights. The top of the pathway links to the Rattlesnake Mountain Trail that extends nine miles west to Snoqualmie Point Park. The mountain is also known as Rattlesnake Ridge.

The lake was receded this past fall.

Hikers don't have to fret about snake bites. The lake is so named due to a group of pioneers in the 1850s mistaking the sound of seed pods on the prairie for the snake's rattle. Initially named Rattlesnake Prairie, the area became Rattlesnake Lake when it was flooded. The remaining tree stumps are exposed when the water level drops.

The town of Moncton was established at the northern edge of the lake in the early 1900s. In 1915, it was decimated by the flooding.