Rattlesnake Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits is a 3.7-mile out-and-back near Montreat, NC. The route passes Rainbow Gap and Lookout Mountain before reaching Rattlesnake Mountain at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It climbs 1,819 ft, with sections as steep as 45% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi2,500 – 3,747 ft · steepest grade: 45%4.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Rainbow Mountain Trail 35.63870, -82.31097
Nearest town Montreat, NC
Directions
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Rattlesnake Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits
3.7 mi · ▲ 1,819 ft · 2 hr 9 min
Elevation 2,499–3,748 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Rainbow Mountain Trail · 35.63870, -82.31097
Weather Sep 5: Partly cloudy, high 89°F / low 66° · precip 25% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Rainbow Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Rainbow Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading E.
- 100 ftPass Rainbow Gap.
- 50 ftBear right onto Old Trestle Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lookout Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miPass Lookout Mountain.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Rattlesnake Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 400 ftReach Rattlesnake Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftBear right onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Lookout Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Trestle Road, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Rainbow Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Rainbow Mountain Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
96% dirt4% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 89°F66°
Precip25%Wind1 mphUV7Humidity69%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
92°69°
Sun
88°67°
66%
Mon
73°65°
47%
Tue
76°59°
Wed
85°62°
Thu
86°67°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~83 min). Leave by 6:11 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Rainbow Mountain Trail Trailhead
- Rainbow Gap–Lookout Trail, 4 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 1,277 ft
- Copperhead Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,726 ft
- Boggs Bunion–Shelter View, 7 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,464 ft
- Lookout Mountain–Shelter View, 9 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 2,452 ft
- Rocky Head–Shelter View, 10 saddles 10.7 mi · ▲ 3,549 ft
- Graybeard Falls–Rocky Head, 10 saddles 10.9 mi · ▲ 3,029 ft
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