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Rattlesnake Lake: A Hidden Gem in Plain Sight

Why have I driven past this lake so many times? You should be asking that question too!

By: Andrew Hoang + Save to a List

What do you do when you have finals and a sunny day? Drive to a lake and hammock, duh.

I just got out of class daydreaming of going out and just relaxing in the sun. I have a reputation in class for not showing up if the sun's out, so when someone asked me why I was in class, I asked myself the same question. So as soon as I got out of class I texted my friend Boogie and he was down to get out and go drive towards the Snoqualmie Area. I got in the car and we just drove with no destination other than going towards Snoqualmie.


Eventually, we decided to head to Rattlesnake Lake because right now I have this weird obsession for alpine lakes. And WOW. WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN HERE YET. I might even write up an Adventure so it gets more appreciation (10 minute later update: I did. Go check it out!). Granted, this lake LITERALLY sits in the shadow of the amazing Rattlesnake Ledge hike (that I have yet to do!), but it's so beautiful, especially on a rare sunny winter day.


Scoping out potential hammocking spots 




Would you look at that! A very rare photo of myself


We found a nice spot to hammock by the treeline and pulled out a bag of Doritos to just relax and take in the sun and scenery.




The lighting got really sweet so we hopped out of our hammocks to take some photos and realized we had an incredible opportunity to recreate some of our favorite Narnia impressions in the snow and may or may not have attacked some snowmen.... After precariously sliding around on black ice, we hopped back into the car to go home.

I love being able to get outdoors and just relax. I've forgotten how much I love the outdoors and Seattle is more than perfect for that. It's been so easy to just get holed up inside watching endless hours of New Girl (oops) because Disneyland and the beach can get so tiring after awhile. I often get caught up in work and forget to just slow down and just listen. The silence is incredible. If you haven't been to this lake, it's literally a 45 minute drive from Downtown and its not even a hike. You park your car and walk like 100 feet and you're there! I highly recommend coming to this lake at some point. Shoutout to my friend Boogie for always being willing to go out on a whim.

Jesus hooked it up phat with the PNW #pacificnorthblessed

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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