AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Tree at the edge of the Cougar Mountain park - panoramio.jpg
Krystof Hoder · CC BY 3.0
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

Military Ridge Trail & Surprise Creek Trail via Shangri La Trail

3.6 mi · ▲ 1,109 ft · 1 hr 45 min

Military Ridge Trail & Surprise Creek Trail via Shangri La Trail is a 3.6-mile out-and-back in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Coal Creek, WA. It climbs 1,109 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi374 – 1,483 ft · steepest grade: 22%3.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 47.54077, -122.09853
Nearest town Coal Creek, WA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Military Ridge Trail & Surprise Creek Trail via Shangri La Trail

3.6 mi · ▲ 1,109 ft · 1 hr 45 min

Elevation 373–1,484 ft

Out & Back · Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

Trailhead: 47.54077, -122.09853

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 70°F / low 47° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:41 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 200 ftSharp left, heading E.
  3. 0.1 miTurn right onto Shangri La Trail, heading SE.
  4. 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 0.4 miSharp left onto Surprise Creek Trail, heading SE.
  6. 0.5 miTurn left onto Red Cedars Trail, heading E.
  7. 0.3 miBear right onto Military Ridge Trail, heading NW.
  8. 0.5 miReach Surprise Creek Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.5 miBear left onto Red Cedars Trail, heading W.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right onto Surprise Creek Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.5 miSharp right onto Shangri La Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  13. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  14. 0.1 miSharp right, heading NW.
  15. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/military-ridge-trail-surprise-creek-trail-out-back-6-km-6d07

Trail surface

45% dirt4% paved51% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 70°F47°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity59%
Hourly temperature
70°45°
Sunrise 5:49 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:41 PM
Tue 79°56°
Wed 86°60°
Thu 88°52°
Fri 82°49°
Sat 80°48°
Sun 79°49°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Coal Creek, Washington