This was a fun hike for being so close to town. I took the Sky Country Trail, which was a bit hilly in places, but the trail is well maintained and clearly marked. That’s not to say that you couldn’t get lost, because there are a lot of trails in the area, but as long as you have some sort of a map you’ll be fine. Google maps worked throughout 99% of my journey and I love how it marks where I’ve parked my car!There was once a lot of coal mining in this area, so there are signs warning people to stay on the trail. Sink holes and noxious gases seem like a good enough reason to pay attention to this.Adequate parking for cars and several pass through spots for horse trailers. Not particularly friendly for wheels (strollers/wheelchairs), but there were several families out with their kids. I think I ran into maybe 30 people through the hike, which wasn’t many.

Nice place to walk around. Lush forest with well-maintained trails. Decent number of people walking around. Social distancing was observed. Good photo opportunities all around. Some areas to be careful of due to older collapsing mines, but nothing to worry about since they are well marked. Some points of interest on the map didnt turn out to be much to see, so just enjoy for the nature.

We did the Sky Country-Harvey Manning Trail when we visited. Its moderately difficult but still fun. We saw a hawk! Too bad I couldnt get a picture. The end of the trail was a Million Dollar View of Lake Sammamish. There is parking here, so dont worry. We went on a Thursday morning but we still encountered about 15 people. Some were wearing masks, some werent.

Gorgeous trail in middle of the town. This trail has pretty good elevation and well marked. We were not able to the waterfall but it was good time spent on a sunny day.

20 min drive from Seattle, bordering Bellevue is this nice little escape. Part of what makes this region so special are places like this. Trails well kept. Signs all over. Nothing too crazy hike-wise. Beautiful, but not what youll find deeper in the cascades. Great for families.

A great hike to take, definitely an underrated spot. You get some decent elevation here, but the trails are well maintained, so its a comfortable climb even in tennis shoes. The trail itself has some lovely bridges and ramps and there are many signs to keep you on the right path. Id recommend this to new hikers looking for a loop to warm themselves up for a harder trek.

Love love love this place! Such great hikes close to home.

I had a wonderful time on a short hike to Coal Creek Falls. The weather was perfect and the trails were in good condition. I plan to go back soon.

So many trails, you are surrounded by nothing but nature! Saw hundreds of dragon flies, grasshoppers, slugs, bird!! Beautiful hike! Did 3 miles in 2 hours, could get list in here for hours. Highly recommend. Dogs and kid friendly.

Nice and easy. Good for everyday hike/walk.

Lovely quiet stroll through mixed forest

Lovely place for hiking, lots of well maintained trail. Many of them are toddler friendly.

Wonderful trails, lush forests, quiet and calm.

Amazingly well maintained, large trails with great markers. Easy to moderate hiking, in the city! Great canopy with peekaboo sunshine. Its a great place, hot or cold.

After work, I went for a short hike before sunset. I absolutely love it, especially the fresh air and the green...Oooo the green color!! I totally recommend this hiking trail. Along the way, I only saw 3 other hikers. I guess they were there for the fresh air too. Ill definitely return here for a longer hike.

Beautiful trails that are well-marked and maintained. Even after storms knock down trees, a volunteer team gets right on it to clear the path. Tons of remnants from the original 1920s coal mining operation, including a preserved mine shaft entrance, mine cart, steam hoist foundation, and an unknown structure cement foundation stamped for 1920. One meadow that had been used as a baseball field for the miners has been reclaimed through volunteer efforts who planted indigenous flora. Lots of little creeks and at least two waterfalls. There are many markers with pictures that show history for the area, and each trail branch has something unique to offer: it would make an excellent site for a scavenger hunt or family educational tour, like a living museum. The trails vary in incline, from mild slopes that even the smallest children have walked to steep which can challenge people looking for an intense workout. There are also two portable toilets at the entrance, and free trail maps that are constantly restocked.

Went out here for my friends ecology project in February, and I wonderfully reveled in the atmosphere of the hike. It was a far and high trail that was cool yet comfortably sheltered at the same time. The stream was small and the trees vast, but I think that really characterized the region. Unfortunately, we were unable to finish the trail due to the weather and the packed snow that blocked the peak. However, it was an enjoyable trip nonetheless! Would go in the summer sometime.

We really enjoyed this hike. We hiked to the Coal Creek Falls and then another small side loop. It was very pretty! There are multiple hikes that can be done there. We plan to return and do some of the other hikes as well.

Really nice forest hike. Big enough you feel like you might get lost but small enough that you dont. Viewpoints are probably best enjoyed in winter without tree leaves.

This I not a off leash dog park, I got a ticket. Beware!

An afternoon in a quiet place that is close to everything but feels far away from everyone. Well worth the effort.

Lots of space to explore! Nice to get away from COVID hiking crowds. Wear a mask!

I was expecting a view didnt get one! Trails are interconnected which is cool you dont have to walk the same way back but no water this summer makes this a 3 star place to visit!

Really great trails, some fortified with gravel to protect against erosion, and all well marked at trail intersections. Dont expect anything but open space at the former anti-aircraft base area. Lots of space and picnic tables there, though. The pergola viewpoint is a dont miss with an amazing view of the south end of Lake Sammamish.

Amazing natural area. Mind-blowing beauty and incredibly refreshing atmosphere. Come here. You will not regret it.But also, research first. The trails can get pretty narrow, and we hiked one day after a race had occurred on the trail. Everything was clean and beautiful, and we never would have known the race had taken place if the bus driver hadnt let us know. That being said, the place would have been much less restful if wed been sharing the paths with 300 trail runners.Yeah.But go.Its way awesome.

Easy loopHarvey Manning Trail > Fantastic Erratic > Shangri La TrailVery hard to get lost, as it is well marked. Go for a hike first, and then enjoy a lunch at the viewpoint near the parking lot. No huge inclines/declines and the scenery is lovely. Feels very lovely.

Excellent place for the short hike, when you dont have time to go further.

Low-Medium traffic, well maintained trails, and some historical remnants of past coal mining. Went for a trail run and the mix of steep inclines, moderate rugged sections, and flat wide trails was nice

Pro: Lovely area to hike, other hikers very friendly, multiple trailsCon: Parking (that we found) is in direct sun & not obviously marked

Nice place easy to park safe. Easy trail good to do Combu loup trail.

Has many different trails. Better than expected. Actually winds through neighborhoods. Parking lot was crowded during the weekend. Appears crowded on most weekends.

Beautiful view point..but trail just ends by connecting to another trail.

My family and I like how it is peaceful and quite it is. Its a beautiful place to be on a nice sunny day.

Very nice and relaxing. Multiple trails. Very serene. Dog friendly. No mosquitoes.

We went hiking in the Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak trail in Cougar Mountain near Issaquah, Washington this morning. This trail is rated moderate with 1210 feet elevation, and 3.2 miles. The path was decent with several steep downhill slopes and uphill incline. On the way back, we came across a cliff at a high elevation. There is no view at the peak. Nonetheless, we had a great cardio workout.

Nice walk, not too busy for a Sunday afternoon... The falls were not existent when we went... We actually walked past it and had no idea! We will be going back when there is more water, for sure.

Well-marked single and double track trails in a beautiful setting. Total shade. Not many views but thats OK. For a short 3 mile destination/lollipop hike, I recommend Red Town to Cave Hole to Coal Creek Falls; then come back via Quarry and Indian Trails.

Good hiking. Not very busy. I think its because there a clear view point....or at least one I havent found yet

Just a mountain, I couldnt get nice things

Beautiful nature right in your backyard. Kid and dog friendly.

Im a very beginner hiker and didnt have the time to go too far from Seattle, so this was a perfect place for me to see a little waterfall. Also we ran into a rock formation that looked like BB-8

Regional hike up Cougar Mountain, 1.5 to 2 hours loop walk - great to bring a big dog (might be too long for an old or small dog). The walk is signposted but you should still familiarize yourself with the map at the car park. Theres unfortunately hardly any views albeit the hike being up a mountain. Strenuous if youre not fit, as the trek is not paved, but easy if youre in good shape. Bringing proper boots and shoes is essential.

We parked at the Red Town trailhead. Went to Northfork falls first. After that we came back to the parking lot and headed towards Far county falls (not active at the moment). The trail was not crowded at all. Its get busy only near Coal Creek falls. Many trails within the park. Loading map on the phone helped.

Beautiful place, best place for single men to meet a cougar....

Nice and chill place for a evening walk.

What a great park. Super accessible from Renton and the surrounding area. A good variety of trails with access from 3 different parking lots around the park. Come on a weekday if you can as the park is considerably less busy than typical. We came on a cool fall day that was just perfect to stroll through the leaf littered trails.

Its fine for a basic walk among trees, but there is nothing particularly special about the area itself. I recommend looking into other hikes around the area, which can be very beautiful.

The trails are perfect for family friendly hiking. Our family hiked a 4 mile loop and had a great day.

A treat of well maintained trails, so close to a major population center. Not very technical. Good for running, quick hikes, etc.

This is a great hiking area close to the city. Fun hikes for all levels. Not many views. It was quite nice to be in the woods with the ferns.

Beautiful hike! Great for kids...we took our 6 and 9 year old no problem. Its a bit noisy at first (I-90) but gets better as you hike up & in.

Easy, well-maintained trails that have little elevation gain. Not too many viewpoints on these lower trails though.

Hiking is good here, Nice place

A very easy hike. It can be as easy or as difficult as you like. I recommend stopping at the meadow reclamation area. A nice place to stop for lunch.

Went to the Red Town Trail head. We took the trail to the wild flower meadow. The trail is wide and well maintained. The trees cover the way providing shade along the way. Going back to explore the many trails branching off to left and to the right.

Peaceful place !! Most of the view is covered by tall grown trees.

Cougar mountain on a rainy day is one of my favorite things about this area. A super crowded place on nice days becomes a quiet retreat on rainy days. The trails are generally in good shape even on rainy, wet days, so put on your rain gear and explore the interesting history of this area!

A great spot. Beautiful. So many wonderful slime molds!

You can come here multiple times a year and it doesn’t get old, no matter who you go with. It’s probably the best place for hiking in the Seattle region.

Beautiful, near town but feels remote, lots of trails!

Its nice on a hot day because of all the trees

Tons of nicely maintained trails. Pretty swampy when its wet so bring some boots.

Amazing that you can be in the wilderness in the middle of civilization. We hiked the Bear Ridge trail from a small trailhead that has spots for 3 cars right off of SR 900. It is steep at times but the surface is easy to walk or trail run. This trail intersects others so you can go as far as you want and loop around to the beginning. Its about a mile and a half to the main intersection. The trail also boasts a huge boulder left from the last ice age. Beautiful walk to be sure.

Beautiful place that has so many trails. Dog and family friendly. I love that theres informational posts along different routes explaining the history of the ares. Actually hiked down M2 Military Road Trail, which was interesting! My fiance and I love for it to feel like its just us two tucked away in the woods to enjoy nature and here, even if there are a lot of people, they quickly go about their way so you spend a majority of the time quietly in the wilderness. We go every weekend.

Between amazing views, dense woods, and cool air heights, this is a pretty amazing place, smack in the midst of civilization.

Been hiking here for over 20 years. Never get tired of watching the seasons change, the families enjoying forest and meadow, the skies either opening up for a winter rain or closing in with shade from leafy branches on a summer afternoon. Beautiful birds, critters large and small, green, luxuriant life rolling and unfolding before you, all so close to busy cities. This park, like all our parks, is truly a place to cherish.

Good trails. No views though.

Great view of Sammamish and the woods

Nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Lots of green spaces, trees, wildlife, trails, views, springs, and great directional trail markers.

Fairly easy hike. Only two and a half miles to the falls. So worth it. Breathtaking!

Great place, lot of trails and clear directions and maps. The trails are available starting from kids to experts

Great forest, well maintained trails and not too busy. A little lacking in the views department, but still a great walk

Fun hike for a quick get away

We studied the map and made our own loop. It doesnt work do well just using a GPS. Too many trails and intersections, better be prepared!

This is a great place for a few mile hikes, a walk with your dogs and even just a nice stroll through the park. There are 5 different entrances so you can choose your walk easily. Warning Jim Whitaker Trail is a good climb in elevation right off the get go.

Nice forest hiking area.

Nice area to explore. Make sure to grab a map as there are MANY intersecting trails.

Surprisingly wild area so close to civilization. We even saw what look like cougar tracks at the clay pit. Definitely a lot of exploring and bird watching can be done in this area.

This place is great for beginners and for families. So many different trails for all types of levels. We love it that its only a 15min drive from Renton, extremely convenient to enjoy nature.

I love it gorgeous place very a life!

Great hills to just walk around and get lost in. Nothing too challenging that you’ll feel you over did it. However some of the hills are long but the trails are so well walked that most places will be a breeze. A good place to have a chill 2-4 mile walk with a friend or alone.

A great hike on the John Whittaker trail. Really wonderful spots along the way up the Shy Bear Pass.

We got lost because we didnt realize how but it was! It would have been helpful if the maps had a you are here pin or if the trail names were a little more clear. But it was very pretty

Great place to hike and see nature nothing else to say really.

Nice easy walk in the woods.

This one is my husband best choice. We always come here tl get refreshment. Highly recommended!! ️

Very much like a regional park. Lots of trees and such. Cougars seem to be in short supply as we didnt see any.

This is the legendary mountain that do bringeth the legendary tale of Chambo the Strawberian.One complaint: Cougar is a really weird way to spell Cham. I dont know what thats all about, but this place is truly legendary.Hark!Do you know the tale of the greatest Mountain Cham?I shall tell it to you. A long time ago, a strappin’ young lad by the name of Chambo settled the ancient pit of clay that lie in the center of the forest. Seeing that it was strewn with bricks, he had decided to construct a home for himself and his fellow Chamlets. The Chamlets built the house, and dubbed the field within the pit “Chambodia.” They inscribed a strange rune into the bricks of their new home. A C to represent cham, and an M to represent Mountain. In the center of the C was an eye, to represent the watchful eye of Dharmaeus, the ancient prophet from the Talusian region of Cham Mountain. Dharmaeus promised to protect Cham Mountain from all evils, such as the wretched Chambit, a gluttonous, loathsome demon who lived in the abandoned mines below the forest. The Chambit threatened to consume all life on Cham Mountain, in order to fuel its demonic hunger. The Chamlets were out one day in the forest gathering supplies such as berries, fern fronds, sticks, and toads. When they returned to their home, it was destroyed. Their food was eaten, and the camp was a mess of bricks and sticks strewn about. All hope seemed to be lost. The Chambit had done its work. But the Chamlets did not lose hope. The swirling call of the Swainson’s Thrush echoed through the thick forest. Chambo stood atop the great cliff and called upon his fellow Chamlets. “Dude, like, this is stupid. Why they gotta do us like that?” he proclaimed. He raised his stickba, a traditional Chambodian weapon, into the air. “Yo lets get this mf fr bro” he spoke. From the heavens, a light came down and blessed his stickba with the powers of zucchini, the Chambit’s weakness. Zucchini was the same power that aided in the defeat of the Cadians from planet Fuhwicha in 2019 AD. The chamlets gathered their stickbas and legendary mammoth slayer, a giant stick capable of bringing down powerful beasts. They marched through the wilderness until they arrived at a deep cave. Once guarded by a strong steel grate, the cave was now accessible, because the Chambit destroyed the steel long ago after its hunger consumed it and threw it into a terrible rage. The Chamlets descended into the cold, dark abyss in search of retribution for their fallen home. Carefully sneaking through the dark, the Chamlets heard a deep growl. Chambo turned on his iPhone flashlight. “Oh $*** its him!” he said, and whacked the Chambit with his stickba. That mf was out cold. There was much rejoice. The Chambit was slain. The Chamlets returned to Chambodia to reconstruct their home, and they lived in peace.On the real this place is big lit.

Very pretty and peaceful. Only 3 stars because the trails are not well marked.

Am amazing nature retreat so close to urban centers. Once you get into the trails you feel like you could be a 100 miles from civilization. The serenity of the woods blows away the detritus cluttering your mind. Your breathing becomes deeper and more even. This is how I decompress 3 - 4 times a week. You can just walk around and enjoy nature, you can hike at a brisk pace or go for a trail run. I do all three here and feel blessed that this is so close and accessible.When in snows the park is even beautiful. It being at a higher altitude than the cities around, it gets more snow and it stays longer.

Pretty trails. Dam was about 4 tall. Woods were nice tho

Went there a rainy day (you will get muddy). Pleasant hike. Easy, short, about two or three miles to see the falls. Occasionally came across other hikers, but we were mostly alone. A few really gorgeous spots.

One of my favorite places to hike close to town. You really feel far away but in reality you are pretty close to the city. I recommend going in the fall or spring so you can see all of the waterfalls really flowing.

Nice trails and so quiet.

Night holing here was not a breeze when youre ill prepared! But do it! My group that I went with enjoyed every moment of it!

Nice trail. little tight and as we where leaving traffic seem to pick up a bit.

It was a nice and casual walk. Good scenery.

This is a great park to explore, hike and play year round.As a local I suggest not wondering away from the trial systems you COULD fall into an old mine shaft. Most of them have over grown and are not really noticeable any more.

An awesome park so close to the city. There is an extensive trail network which makes you feel hours away from the city with trails ranging from less than a mile to an hour or two. Nice for a quick hike after work or weekend day hike!

Great trail that takes you into some thick of the woods. My only complaint is that it can be easy to get lost if you dont bring a map of how each trail connects.