West Rattlesnake Mountain NH Hike Guide

West Rattlesnake Mountain is a short out and back hike located in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. The hike up the small mountain is mostly a dirt trail with excellent views of Squam Lake from the summit. West Rattlesnake trail is family friendly and suitable for hikers of all levels.

West Rattlesnake Mountain Quick Facts

West Rattlesnake Mountain Trail Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)

Distance: 1.84 Miles RT

Elevation Start: 848 ft

Highest Point: 1,243 ft

Total Elevation Gain: 395 ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy – What does this mean?

Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?

Season: April – December (expect snow outside of this period)

Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to West Rattlesnake Mountain

Trailhead: Old Bridal Path

Getting Here: From 93, take exit 24 (US-3, NH-113) towards Ashland/Holderness. Once you are on US-3, continue on this for 4.5 miles until you reach NH-113. Take a left here and continue on for 5 miles until you the small parking area on your left. You can enter “Mt Morgan trailhead” or “Rattlesnake Mountain trailhead”  into your favorite navigational device and just take a right into the correct parking lot instead of heading to Mt Morgan. PLEASE NOTE: If you Google West Rattlesnake Mountain, there is another hike in New Hampshire that has the same name and can easily be confused with this one. When looking at directions, make sure your hike starts near Squam Lake.

Fees: N/A

Parking: West Rattlesnake Mountain has a small parking lot that can fit about 10-20 cars. I am not sure if this hike gets super busy, but can imagine that during weekends the lot can fill up quickly due to the hike’s popularity.

Summary

Camping: Camping is not allowed on West Rattlesnake Mountain, seek alternative lodging. In the area, there are a handful of campgrounds if you do a quick Google.

Dogs: The hike up West Rattlesnake mountain is dog friendly and one suitable for all different kinds of dogs. Please keep your dogs leashed on this hike.

Make it a Loop: The hike up West Rattlesnake Mountain is an out and back hike, but you can view my picture of the hiking trails of the area here. If you want to extend your hike, you could easily add East Rattlesnake Mountain or head across the street to the Mt Morgan trailhead with additional hiking options.

Trail X Factors: Bugs & Amazing Views

Like many hikes in New Hampshire, bugs can completely ruin a hike. If you plan on tackling this hike during the spring or summer months, be sure to arm yourself accordingly. The second awesome part about this hike is the super views on such a short hike. I am used to trudging through miles and miles of trail to get these beautiful views, but on West Rattlesnake Mountain, a panoramic view of Squam Lake awaits you after only 20-30 minutes of hiking.

Mick’s Tip: When researching West Rattlesnake Mountain, be sure to use the correct set of directions to find the trailhead. When I pulled up this hike on Alltrails, the directions were completely wrong and would have taken us to a totally different spot in New Hampshire. Luckily, if you are reading this, that shouldn’t be an issue for you.

Best Views: Without a doubt the best (and really only) good views from the trail are at the summit of the mountain summit. From here, you can view beautiful Squam Lake and the surrounding mountains.

Gear Needed

• Bug spray/ bug net

• Men’s Trail Runners
• Women’s Trail Runners
• La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
• La Sportiva Trango Hiking Booths (Women’s)
• Backpack
• Food & Water
• Optional: Garmin inReach
• Optional: Hiking Poles
• Optional: Headlamp
• Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
• *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.

My Trip to West Rattlesnake Mountain: June 2018

The hike up West Rattlesnake trail was relatively short and uneventful so I will skip the trip summary for this hike. Enjoy some pictures from our trip below!

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