No, unfortunately Rattlesnake Mountain is not yet open to the public but I took a nice morning hike up the hill to the east of Rattlesnake.
On Top with Benton City in the Background
The last time I hiked on the Rattlesnake Preserve, I spotted 2 snakes including a fairly large rattler so I was watching every step of the way. I went early in the morning so I avoided the mid-day heat the snakes like so much.
It was a nice hike as I worked my way up the road/trail to the top of the bench and the view opened up. As I started the steep ascent, I started seeing a welcome site, the Mariposa Lilies were all over.
Their pastel lavender color brightened up the landscape as the grasses are starting to turn to browns, tans and grays. As I reached the summit of the ridge, the view of Mount Adams was beautiful.
Mount Adams in the Distance
The vegetation at the top is unique. It is close to the ground and sparse, mainly because of the harsh winds that scour the area. I imagine it is a similar terrain on the top of Rattlesnake Mountain. Maybe we’ll be able to see for ourselves someday soon.
Looking west to Rattlesnake Mountain from the Ridge top with the sparse vegetation in the foreground
The view from the top was beautiful with sunny, clear skies.
The Yakima River Winding Through the Desert
Looking east to the "Rattles" Red, Candy and Badger Mountains
Looking north to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. FFTF, Energy Northwest Nuclear Reactor plume, LIGO in the distance
It was a wonderful hike with beautiful views with no snakes this time around but I spotted this unique plant as I was almost back to the trailhead. Simple beauty.