Squak Mountain Central Peak–Coal Creek Natural Area, 12 sights is a 15.1-mile out-and-back in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Newcastle, WA. The route passes Coal Creek Natural Area and Squak Mountain Central Peak. It climbs 4,182 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Squak Mountain Central Peak–Coal Creek Natural Area, 12 sights
15.1 mi · ▲ 4,182 ft · 7 hr 7 min
Elevation 457–2,025 ft
Out & Back · Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Trailhead: 47.53601, -122.14298
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 79°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:51 AM · sunset 8:40 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miPass Coal Creek Natural Area.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left onto China Creek Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Red Town Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading SE.
- 1 miBear right onto Bypass Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Shy Bear Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Shy Bear Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Wilderness Cliffs Trail, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Squak Mountain Connector Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear right onto West Access Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Bullitt Fireplace Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto East Side Trail, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miPass Squak Mountain Central Peak.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Old Griz Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear left onto Squak Mountain Road Southeast, heading SE.
- 350 ftSharp left onto Summit Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Phil's Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Phil's Connector, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Equestrian Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Squak Mountain Central Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Phil's Connector, heading SE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Phil's Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Summit Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Squak Mountain Road Southeast, heading N.
- 300 ftBear right onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading NE.
- 300 ftBear right onto Old Griz Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto East Side Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Bullitt Fireplace Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto West Access Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Wilderness Cliffs Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftBear right onto Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Shy Bear Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Shy Bear Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Bypass Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading N.
- 1 miTurn right onto Red Town Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto China Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 400 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 8:20 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:40 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 9:15 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Coal Creek Natural Area–Marshall's Hill Trail, 4 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 408 ft
- Squak Mountain Southeast Peak–Squak Mountain Central Peak, 14 sights 15.9 mi · ▲ 4,650 ft
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Hikes near Newcastle, Washington