Popular Family Hikes and Less-Crowded Alternatives Nearby

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park — part of the Issaquah Alps — has an expansive system of hiking trails. We love the historical trails with old mining artifacts, and the ease with which you can combine trails to make longer outings. It’s a great destination for younger hikers, too. The only thing not to like: Come on a weekend, and the rows of cars might have you thinking you’re at a rock concert or state fair. You’ll have plenty of company on most of the popular trails, too. Consider a morning start, or make this a weekday adventure. Take the Rainbow Town Trail and find old mining equipment and a sealed mine shaft. Kids will also love the waterfall on the easy, 2-mile round-trip Coal Creek Falls Trail.

Length: There is a network of trails of all lengths here. You can easily do a short outing or combine several for a lengthier adventure.

Best for: Hikers of every age can find a trail to love here.

Finding it: Take exit 13 off I-90. Go right at the stop sign, follow Lakemont Boulevard Southeast, and turn into the parking lot for the Red Town Trailhead/Cougar Mountain. Take a photo of the map at the kiosk as the paths can be maze-like, especially for first-timers. Find directions and information for the Coal Creek Falls Trail (and more) on the WTA website.

Beat-the-crowds alternative: Coal Creek Trail

The only tricky part of this hike is its name, which is easily confused with the Coal Creek Falls hike across the street at Cougar Mountain. Yes, the Coal Creek Trail shares parking with Cougar Mountain, and yes, it’s a popular outing in its own right. However, we’ve found the crowds here much thinner than those across the road, and if you go beyond the first mile you may find yourself almost alone. It’s also possible to start from a neighborhood trailhead (Lakemont), where we were able to find a parking space even on a busy weekend.

Length: If you go from trailhead to trailhead, this is a hike of about 6 miles round-trip. The section that begins at the Lakemont trailhead is much quieter. If you want a shorter hike, begin at the trailhead across the street from Cougar Mountain, and go just to the waterfall, or as far as you wish.

Best for: All ages can enjoy this relatively flat, easy hike.

Finding it: Leaving I-90, take exit 13. Go right at the stop sign, then follow Lakemont Boulevard Southeast and turn into the parking lot for the Red Town Trailhead/Cougar Mountain. The beginning of the Coal Creek Trail is right across the street. Use caution when crossing this busy road. Begin your walk next to a meadow, where you can see all that remains of what was a prosperous hotel during the heyday of the area’s once-booming coal industry. Shortly after the meadow, you’ll come to a sealed mine shaft. Take the short interpretive trail just to the left of it and look for timbers from the old railroad bed in the creek. The falls are just after, and there are some benches for you to sit and enjoy the view.

Alternatively, begin your walk at the Lakemont Trail by taking the Coal Creek Parkway exit from I-405 and continuing south. Turn right on Southeast 60th Street and head up the hill. You will see a small gravel parking lot on your right. This is in a quiet neighborhood, and it’s easy to miss. You’ll descend through a pleasant forest along a creek before coming to the section described above.

Next: Billy Frank Jr. Refuge and Woodard Bay