Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Coal Creek Natural Area–China Creek Open Space, 6 sights
5.6 mi · ▲ 944 ft · 2 hr 20 min
Coal Creek Natural Area–China Creek Open Space, 6 sights is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Newcastle, WA. The route passes China Creek Open Space before reaching Coal Creek Natural Area at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 944 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Coal Creek Natural Area–China Creek Open Space, 6 sights
5.6 mi · ▲ 944 ft · 2 hr 20 min
Elevation 472–1,015 ft
Out & Back · Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Trailhead: Cross Town Trail · 47.53259, -122.16032
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 75°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:50 AM · sunset 8:41 PM
Transit-accessible: Coal Creek Pkwy SE & SE 79th Pl stop 198 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Cross Town Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftPass China Creek Open Space.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left onto De Leo Wall Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Marshall's Hill Trail, heading N.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Wildside Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miReach Coal Creek Natural Area, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Marshall's Hill Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto De Leo Wall Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Cross Town Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~26 min). Leave by 7:56 PM for the 8:41 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:12 PM — 5 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Coal Creek Pkwy SE & SE 79th Pl stop 198 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Cross Town Trail Trailhead
- Marshall's Hill–China Creek Open Space, 3 groves 2.9 mi · ▲ 695 ft
- China Creek Open Space–De Leo Wall Viewpoint, 6 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,123 ft
- Doughty Falls–China Creek Open Space, 9 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 1,674 ft
- Long View Peak–China Creek Open Space, 9 sights 8.3 mi · ▲ 1,934 ft
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Hikes near Newcastle, Washington