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Cougar Mountain Regional Park
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is one of the most incredible natural resources in the King County Park System. Surrounded by the cities of Bellevue, Newcastle and Issaquah, and just minutes from downtown Seattle, Cougar Mountain Park truly is a natural oasis amid urban King County
Notes: The park covers more than 3,000 acres and is the largest park in the 20,000-acre King County Park System. For perspective, Marymoor Park near Redmond comes in at 640 acres. Located in the "Issaquah Alps," Cougar Mountain Park is famous for its many trails - more than 36 miles of trails for hiking, and over 12 miles for equestrians. Cougar Mountain Park was established, in part, as a sanctuary for native plants and animals. Park hours are 8:00 am to dusk daily. Amenities include walking trails, equestrian trails, picnic tables, and restrooms.
Getting There: To reach the Red Town Trailhead:
From I-90: Take exit 13, drive south uphill on Lakemont Boulevard SE for 3.1 miles. Look for entrance to the Red Town Trailhead on the left side.
From I-405: Take exit 10 and follow Coal Creek Parkway SE 2.4 miles to the shopping center. Turn left at the light onto SE 72nd Place and then left again at Newcastle-Coal Creek Road. Follow Newcastle-Coal Creek Road for 1.9 miles. Look for the Red Town Trailhead on the right side of the road.
Where to Go: There are a variety of trails to choose from. The Red Town Trail is a popular trail for birds and native plants. All the trails are well-signed and maintained and there are brochures at the trailhead describing the trails and the history of Cougar Mountain. Several loops are possible.
Setting: It is full of a variety of habitats; wetlands, meadows, forests. It is also steeped in mining history.
Birds Commonly Seen: Brown Creeper, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Pileated Woodpecker, American Robins, Winter and Bewickâs Wrens, Spotted Towee, Song Sparrow, Chickadees, Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk.
Restrictions: No bicycles are allowed on the trails and dogs are required to be on a leash. The Clay Pit Mine is off limits to the general public. From mid-July to early August Mutual Materials will be utilizing Clay Pit road to access the mine.
For more information: http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/parks/cougarmountain.html, http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/011300/hike13.html
