A short walk up to the top of Rattlesnake Mountain (no, there are NO rattlesnakes!) is a must for anyone who travels to the Squam Lakes area. The hike up to the top takes no more than 45-50 minutes, and the view is amazing. I have been up too many times to count, in all seasons. My favorite time to... More

This is one of the "best view for the effort" hikes ever!! A 30-45 minute walk up a gentle wooded trail brings you to a cliff overlooking Squam Lake (of "On Golden Pond" fame - 1981 movie with Katherine Hepburn, andJane and Henry Fonda). There is also a much steeper trail up from the lake side if you arrive by... More

Beautiful view for such an easy short walk. Not much to dislike. More

I'm a very slow and plodding hiker, but I love hiking in the winter. Rattlesnake Mountain makes a wonderful hike - whether you just go up West Rattlesnake or get a bit more ambitious and take the ridge trail to the summit of East Rattlesnake! Even though the weather had been warm, we still encountered icy conditions and I was... More

A short hike to a beautiful overlook of Squam lake More

We climbed Rattlesnake Mountain while visiting nearby Meredith/Lake Winnipesaukee. We saw lots of very little kids, older folks, and out-of-shape folks making the climb, so anyone who's tempted should feel confident they can do it. This is the best-maintained trail up a "mountain" (really a bluff) I've ever seen -- the first quarter-mile was basically gravel-lined steps, with lots of... More