Taylor Mountain by Rattlesnake Mountain stands inside the Upper Raging River Forest. Taylor Lookout is a mile and a half off the west shoulder. Plus, the Cedar River Watershed spans the entire south side of the massif.
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Taylor Mountain by Rattlesnake Mountain at a Glance
Access: Tiger Summit south pullout (area info)
Round Trip: 8 miles
Elevation Range: 1360′-2600′
Essential Gear: none
Route Info: Peter Schilling
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Reels
Exploring the Upper Raging River Forest
Due to recent car trouble, Connor and I stayed near home and visited Taylor Mountain. It was his first time going to the peak. But Cody was here with me five years earlier during the low snow season. We also took a side trip to Brew Hill.
The standard route traverses the northern flank to the summit in four miles. But without looking at the map, we turned uphill before Deek Creek and went toward the lookout. I only realized it after turning west at the road bend below it.
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Taylor Lookout on Taylor Mountain by Rattlesnake Mountain
By then, I was too lazy to backtrack half a mile to reroute by the fork. But with the many roads here, I thought there had to be another way. So, before losing reception, I found Peter’s track that had returned via the south after Brew Hill.
Following the road around the lookout, we inadvertently stepped inside the Cedar River Watershed. After a mile on the road, with a quarter-mile on the Boundary Trail, restricted signs started appearing. So, I looked for an exit north on the ridgetop via a decrepit path.
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Brushy West Ridge Road-Turned-Trail Finish
Finding a ridge trail soon after the old road ended was a surprise, so we headed east. Then, in half a mile, we crossed back into the river forest at the boundary. After a brief scramble north behind a skinny cement signpost, a brushy roadway soon led us to the top.
Until logging comes through here, vies on the summit will remain spotty. But for now, we once again poked around for vistas I might’ve missed from before. On the road back, we caught glimpses of Mout Si and the distant Mount Index through trees.
See more trip photos here.