Rattlesnake Trail

Traveling by horseback, boat, private aircraft, floatplane or on foot: these were the only modes of transportation that I could use to reach the town of Stehekin, located 51 miles north of Chelan, Washington. The name roughly translates into “the way through” given that for centuries, the route up the Stehekin River to Cascade Pass provided a trading route for Native Americans. I chose to combine a boat trip and hiking for this adventure. The Lady of the Lake (a spacious passenger boat) would drop us off at the Prince Creek Trail, and we would hike the remaining 17 miles into Stehekin. The Chelan Lakeshore Trail was supposed to be the first trail in the area free of snow, due to its low elevation.

We decided to hike the ten or so miles into Moore Point Campground for the first night, and stay the second night at the lodge to take in some of the local scenery.

We departed on a beautiful June morning at 8:30. Settling our all too heavy packs at the bow of the boat, we sat outside to enjoy the passing surroundings. Arriving at Prince Creek at 11:00, 12 passengers departed the boat. A group of women in front of us had hiked the trail last year, and planned to hike nonstop to Stehekin that day. They took off ahead of us and provided vital rattlesnake reports in the way of shrill screams for the first 4 miles of our trek.

Starting off, the packs seemed light, the weather was perfect and the lake was shimmering. The trail (as the name suggests) follows the lakeshore, although at times the trail was over 500 feet above the water. This wasn’t much of a problem, except for the time I almost stepped on a rattlesnake and stopped so short that my companion nearly tumbled down the ledge. After my fourth rattlesnake sighting, I jumped at the sound of cicadas along the trail, thinking they were rattlesnakes.

The packs got heavier as the day progressed. We saw an abundance of bird and, to my dismay, snake life. Finally, we found the trail that headed to Moore Point. It took until 6:00 p.m. to make the campsite.

I peeled off my heavy boots and damp socks, soaking my very tired and blistered feet in the cool clear lake. The next morning, we set off at a leisurely pace to complete the final six miles. Thankfully, it was a snake free hike.  We discovered later that the locals call the route we took “Rattlesnake Trail”. I can see why they don’t promote this fact.

We arrived at Stehekin just as the Lady of the Lake was departing to Chelan. Happy that we didn’t have to rush to get on the boat, we rented bicycles and explored the area. It was imperative not to miss Rainbow Falls, a gorgeous waterfall cascading down from 312 feet—and nearly as important—the famous Stehekin bakery, easily justified after our strenuous hike.