AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
RedAlder 7504.jpg
Walter Siegmund · CC BY 2.5
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

Squak Mountain Southeast Peak–Squak Mountain Central Peak, 14 sights

15.9 mi · ▲ 4,650 ft · 7 hr 38 min

Squak Mountain Southeast Peak–Squak Mountain Central Peak, 14 sights is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Newcastle, WA. The route passes Coal Creek Natural Area, Wilderness Peak, Wilderness Cliffs Viewpoint and 2 more before reaching Squak Mountain State Park Viewpoint at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 4,650 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 22/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi456 – 2,024 ft · steepest grade: 32%16.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 47.53601, -122.14298
Nearest town Newcastle, WA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Squak Mountain Southeast Peak–Squak Mountain Central Peak, 14 sights

15.9 mi · ▲ 4,650 ft · 7 hr 38 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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 100 ftSharp right, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 0.3 miPass Coal Creek Natural Area.
  5. 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
  6. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  8. 150 ftBear left onto China Creek Trail, heading E.
  9. 350 ftTurn right onto Red Town Trail, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading SE.
  11. 1 miBear right onto Bypass Trail, heading E.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading E.
  13. 0.3 miTurn left onto East Fork Trail, heading SE.
  14. 0.4 miSharp right, heading SE.
  15. 0.4 miPass Wilderness Peak.
  16. 400 ftTurn right, heading S.
  17. 200 ftSharp left onto Wilderness Cliffs Trail, heading S.
  18. 0.8 miPass Wilderness Cliffs Viewpoint.
  19. 450 ftBear left, heading E.
  20. 450 ftSharp left onto Squak Mountain Connector Trail, heading SW.
  21. 0.8 miBear right onto West Access Trail, heading SE.
  22. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Bullitt Fireplace Trail, heading E.
  23. 350 ftContinue straight onto East Side Trail, heading S.
  24. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  25. 0.2 miContinue straight onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading SE.
  26. 0.5 miPass Squak Mountain Central Peak.
  27. 250 ftTurn right onto Old Griz Trail, heading SE.
  28. 50 ftBear left onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading SE.
  29. 300 ftBear left onto Squak Mountain Road Southeast, heading E.
  30. 300 ftSharp left onto Summit Trail, heading NE.
  31. 0.3 miBear right onto Phil's Creek Trail, heading SE.
  32. 250 ftBear left onto East Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  33. 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
  34. 0.3 miPass Squak Mountain State Park Viewpoint.
  35. 0.1 miReach Squak Mountain Southeast Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  36. 0.6 miBear right onto Phil's Creek Trail, heading N.
  37. 250 ftBear left onto Summit Trail, heading N.
  38. 0.3 miSharp right onto Squak Mountain Road Southeast, heading NW.
  39. 300 ftBear right onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading NW.
  40. 300 ftBear right onto Old Griz Trail, heading W.
  41. 50 ftTurn left onto C1 - Central Peak Trail, heading W.
  42. 0.8 miTurn left onto East Side Trail, heading NW.
  43. 150 ftContinue straight onto Bullitt Fireplace Trail, heading W.
  44. 350 ftContinue straight onto West Access Trail, heading NW.
  45. 1.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  46. 0.8 miSharp right onto Wilderness Cliffs Trail, heading NW.
  47. 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  48. 0.9 miSharp right, heading W.
  49. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  50. 0.4 miSharp left onto East Fork Trail, heading NE.
  51. 0.4 miTurn right onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading N.
  52. 0.3 miTurn left onto Bypass Trail, heading NW.
  53. 0.2 miBear left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading NW.
  54. 1 miTurn right onto Red Town Trail, heading NW.
  55. 0.2 miTurn left onto China Creek Trail, heading NW.
  56. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  57. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  58. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  59. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  60. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  61. 0.2 miSharp left, heading SW.
  62. 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/squak-mountain-southeast-peak-squak-mountain-central-peak-out-back-5-summits-26-km-a818

Trail surface

71% dirt3% gravel26% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 79°F56°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity55%
Hourly temperature
80°55°
Sunrise 5:51 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:40 PM
Wed 84°60°
Thu 90°61°
Fri 88°52°
Sat 84°53°
Sun 82°51°
Mon 84°52°

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Newcastle, Washington