Got to the parking lot around 10:30am a few cars but it was a Wednesday I am sure its busier on the weekends. This was a great hike, the trail was well maintained, it has a constant elevation climb. Lots of mountain bikers but you have a hiker's only trail to follow if you desire plus keeps you out of their way :). Once to the outlook it offers a couple bench to sit and relax, enjoy lunch while admiring the beauty below. It was getting late but next time will certainly keep going to Rattlesnake Lake.

A great morning at exit 27 — worth getting stuck in traffic for an hour on I-90 on the way home (kinda...)! 

THE ROAD / PARKING

Plenty of cars already in the area when we got to the trailhead shortly before 9. I was able to snag a spot in the parking lot, but there were definitely cars parked on the side of the road in already, so I wonder if we just got lucky and someone had just left. 

When we got back to the parking lot shortly after 1, the lot was still pretty full, with only a couple of available spaces that seemed to get taken quickly.

A large majority of the cars parked in the lot seemed like mountain bikers, rather than hikers. 

Vault toilet was in good shape with plenty of toilet paper! The women's toilet seat is cracked and missing a piece, but the toilet itself really didn't smell too bad. 

THE TRAIL

Nothing specific to report. Didn't have to deal with bugs at all. The trail is in great shape. This is a nice hike on a sunny day for the most part, with only a few exposed parts aside from the viewpoints.

TIMELINE

8:50 — Arrived at trailhead
9:00 — Left trailhead
10:00 — Reached Stan's Overlook
11:00 — Reached Grand Prospect, lunch break
11:35 — Left Grand Prospect
12:20 — Returned to Stan's Overlook
1:10 — Returned to trailhead

MISC. 

It was a beautiful day! We ran across a handful of hikers on the trail and several trail runners, but we got plenty of time to ourselves. And we got Grand Prospect to ourselves for nearly half an hour! 

We could see Baker from Grand Prospect, and there was a really nice breeze — even if bugs were a problem on the trail (which they weren't), the breeze probably would have kept them away from the viewpoint. 

And the big pack is starting to feel less terribly heavy, so that's nice! 😃

Started at Snoqualmie Point Park and went about 6 miles in to Windy Landing with the big pack today 🎒

THE ROAD / PARKING

The parking lot was full when I got there this morning at 8:40 because of the Cascadia Dirt Cup mountain biking race going on today. I had to park a little down the road but it wasn't a problem.

When I got back to the parking lot around 1:30, it was not quite as full — with a couple of open spots — but still pretty much at capacity. 

The vault toilet was clean with plenty of toilet paper. 

THE TRAIL

Trail was in great shape. Nothing really to report on trail conditions.

Salmonberries and wildflowers are out. There are also a bunch of tiny frogs around — I almost stepped on a couple as I was hiking today.

The trail past Grand Prospect really opens up after a short stint in the forest. Cool views of Rainier and a lot of sun exposure! 

The turn-off to Windy Landing is signed, but it doesn't seem to be much of a viewpoint anymore. It's quite overgrown and I couldn't make it very far off the main trail without needing to bushwhack (which I declined to try). 

TIMELINE

8:30 — Parked near trailhead
8:40 — Left trailhead
9:30 — Reached Stan's Overlook
10:30 — Reached Grand Prospect
11:10 — Reached Windy Landing
12:00 — Returned to Grand Prospect, quick break
12:05 — Left Grand Prospect
12:55 — Returned to Stan's Overlook
1:30 — Returned to trailhead

MISC. 

I'd never done the segment of Rattlesnake Mountain between Grand Prospect and Windy Landing, so it was cool to get to finally see it, many years after my first hike on the mountain back in 2018 up to the ever-popular ledge (also my first hike ever!). Hoping to schedule in a full thru-hike of the mountain sometime. 

It was a pretty busy day — I saw probably a couple dozen folks on the trail today, not including a very large group of hikers at Grand Prospect on my way up. Many trail runners and at least one other hiker who was also training with a full pack. That said, I still got plenty of solitude and quiet alone time on trail today.

Not a lot of views today, but a lot of fun (and soreness) carrying the big training pack 😄

THE ROAD / PARKING

I got to the parking lot shortly after 8. The lot was approaching full, but there were still several spaces available. 

The bathrooms seemed relatively clean and had plenty of toilet paper.

When I got back to the trailhead around 11:45, the lot was totally full, with cars parked along the side of the road into the lot, and then a few dozen cars parked on the main road leading up to it. 

THE TRAIL

The trail is in great shape. There was one tiny muddy spot (that isn't bad and also easily avoidable) that I'll include a photo of, but the trail is practically perfect.

Lots of wildflowers blooming and salmonberries about. 

TIMELINE

8:10 — Parked at trailhead
8:15 — Left trailhead
9:10 — Reached Stan's Overlook
10:10 — Reached Grand Prospect
10:15 — Left Grand Prospect
11:05 — Returned to Stan's Overlook
11:45 — Returned to trailhead

MISC.

My ascent was very quiet — I only saw a few hikers/mountain bikers near Stan's Overlook, and then some folks near Grand Prospect as I approached. I encountered significantly more hikers (and many trail runners!) on my way down who were heading up. 

I only stayed at Grand Prospect for a few minutes because I hiked into a cloud so it was rainy and cold — just long enough to catch my breath carrying the heavy pack before heading down. I did get the viewpoint to myself though 😊

I've been here twice now and it is still one of my favorite forest hikes. I love the overall consistent mostly-mild grade. It's a great conditioning hike for me as I get used to my new pack! 

I have hiked this trail many, many times over the years. Every year, something was different about it, as trail slowly replaced road. Today, I was thrilled to discover that the old route from Grand Prospect to West Towers had been cleared of fallen trees. One of my favorites. Hooray!

Mileage corrections:

The mileages in the two Rattlesnake Mountain West guide entries are abysmally wrong, even contradictory. Stan’s Overlook is at 1.9 miles, not 2.5. And Grand Prospect is at 3.9, not 4.9. I will attempt to get these, and other mileage and altitude errors, corrected.