Issaquah Alps

The Issaquah Alps are an old mountain range that starts at the foothills of the Cascades nestling the city of Issaquah, west of Seattle. The are preserved in a series of regional and start parks: Tiger Mountain State Forest; Squak Mountain State Park; Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park; and, Grand Ridge Park.

Cougar Mountain

Resources:

3-4,000 acres depending on which literature you read. Four major trailheads and 42 official trails that present innumerable loop possibilities.

Four trailheads

  1. Wilderness Creek Trailhead (SR 900/Renton-Issaquah Road SE): This small parking area, located on the east side of Cougar Mountain, provides access to the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park trail system via the Wilderness Creek Trail.
  2. Anti-Aircraft Peak Trailhead (SE Cougar Mountain Drive): This graveled parking area is located close to the top of Cougar Mountain and provides wonderful views to the north (sometimes one can catch a glimpse of Mt. Baker). Many of the wildland park's trails are accessed from this trailhead.
  3. Clay Pit Road
  4. Red Town Trailhead (Lakemont Blvd. SE/Newcastle Coal Creek Rd.): Red Town Trailhead has a graveled parking area that provides access to the trails around the historic Red Town mining area and to the wildland park's entire trail system.
  5. Talus development. Take SR 900 to Talus Drive, turn right on to Shangri La Road, trailhead to Shangri La and Surprise Creek Trail is on your left right across from the Ascent Townhome's. Construction is on going in the area. As of April 2004 there are not signs that this is a trailhead, but is only a rock laid entry way. See picture.