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Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

A hiker walks along a trail bordered by towering cedar and fir trees on Cougar Mountain

About the park

The 3,000+ acre Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is connected to Squak Mountain State Park by Cougar-Squak Corridor Park, which together is about 5,000 acres of protected area in the public land known as the "Issaquah Alps." The park is between 1,000 and 1,600 feet above sea level.

Cougar Mountain Park has over thirty-five miles of trails winding through diverse habitats such as mature second-growth forests, streams and wetlands, cliffs, and nearby caves. While there are sweeping views of Lake Sammamish, the Cascades, Bellevue, Seattle, and beyond, there are areas of the park that are more remote from the sights and sounds of nearby urban development.

Although most of the trails at Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park are primarily for hikers, some trails allow horseback riding. Due to hazards from historical mining activities in the park, you must stay on the trails.

Location

18201 Southeast Cougar Mountain Drive

Nearby Bus Stops

Year-round: Issaquah Transit Center served by Sound Transit and King County Metro

Seasonally: Trailhead Direct

Parking

There is a parking lot at the Sky Country Trailhead with space available for horse trailers.

Trailheads

The park is accessible from five trailheads.

  • NOW OPEN: Big Tree Ridge Trailhead (map)
  • Red Town Trailhead: off Lakemont Blvd SE (map)
  • Sky Country Trailhead: off Clay Pit Rd (map)
  • Harvey Manning Trailhead: off SE Cougar Mountain Rd (map)
  • Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trailhead: off SR-900/Renton-Issaquah Rd (map)
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