Coal Creek Natural Area–Big Tree Ridge Trail, 9 sights is an 11-mile out-and-back in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Pine Lake, WA. The route passes Cougar Pass before reaching Coal Creek Natural Area at the turnaround, 5.4 miles in. It climbs 1,993 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi46 – 1,312 ft · steepest grade: 21%12.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Sammamish Multiple Use Trail 47.55216, -122.04941
Nearest town Pine Lake, WA
Directions
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Coal Creek Natural Area–Big Tree Ridge Trail, 9 sights
11 mi · ▲ 1,993 ft · 4 hr 40 min
Elevation 47–1,312 ft
Out & Back · Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Trailhead: Sammamish Multiple Use Trail · 47.55216, -122.04941
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 77°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:41 PM
Transit-accessible: 10th Ave NW & Lake Dr stop 150 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Sammamish Multiple Use Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Newport Way Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Big Tree Trail Old Steep Ridge Route, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Big Tree Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Red Cedars Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Surprise Creek Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left onto No Name Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Shangri La Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Protector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Tibbetts Marsh Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Cougar Pass.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Cougar Pass Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Klondike Swamp Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Bypass Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Coal Creek Natural Area.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Red Town Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Red Town Trailhead Access Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftReach Coal Creek Natural Area, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftBear left onto Red Town Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Cave Hole Trail, heading W.
- 1 miBear right onto Bypass Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Fred's Railroad Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Klondike Swamp Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Cougar Pass Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Tibbetts Marsh Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Protector Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Shangri La Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto No Name Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Surprise Creek Trail, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Red Cedars Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Big Tree Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail Old Steep Ridge Route, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Big Tree Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Newport Way Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading SE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Sammamish Multiple Use Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 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
44% dirt20% paved6% boardwalk4% gravel26% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 77°F51°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity54%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 5:49 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:41 PM
Tue
85°57°
Wed
92°61°
Thu
93°57°
Fri
87°53°
Sat
84°53°
Sun
83°53°
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: 10th Ave NW & Lake Dr stop 150 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Sammamish Multiple Use Trail Trailhead
- Sammamish Multiple Use Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Pickering Multiple Use Trail–Rainier Greenway Trail, 3 sights 5.5 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Marshall's Hill–Coal Creek Falls, 12 sights 13.5 mi · ▲ 2,440 ft
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