Grand Ridge Park

Grand Ridge Park includes seven miles of WTA-built trail through western redcedar trees, sword ferns, nettles, berries and, at times, slugs. This trail is a little piece of the backcountry close to Seattle and is open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.

Winding through 1,200 acres above Issaquah and Lake Sammamish, Grand Ridge Park is the result of a unique agreement between Port Blakely, which developed the Issaquah Highlands and King County. For every one acre of developed land, Port Blakely agreed to set aside four acres of park land.

The trail provides habitat to many forest creatures besides just slugs, such as bears, owls, cougars, and chipmunks. You can access the trail at High Point or Central Park in the Issaquah Highlands, and eventually Duthie Park as well.

Washington Trails Association has been involved with developing the trail system at Grand Ridge since 2000, first stringing together old logging roads and user-built trails and then building new trail north. The trail will eventually reach the Issaquah-Fall City Road and Duthie Hill on boardwalk through the marsh there.

One of the highlights of the trail is a beautiful 40-foot long, hand-built bridge spanning Canyon Creek. Built by WTA volunteers over three years and milled from downed Cedar trees on the site, it's six-foot width accommodates hikers, bikers and horses, and also improves water quality. Both steelhead and cutthroat trout spawn downstream in Canyon Creek, which flows into the Snoqualmie River.

In 2012, WTA volunteers also drove the final spike into a 600-foot boardwalk, also milled on site, that takes users out of the muck and on to firm ground. This boardwalk, near Duthie Hill, is the final section of trail to be finished at the park.

Grand Ridge Park

Map & Directions

Getting There

From Seattle, drive east on I-90 for approxiamately 18.1 miles. Take Exit 20, and turn left at bottom of ramp. Pass underneath I-90 and park in the gravel lot to the west. Hike or bike west on the Issaquah-to-High Point Trail to the backcountry trailhead. You can also access the trail from Central Park and South Pond in the Issaquah Highlands neighborhoods. Access from the north is planned.

To the Central Park Trailhead:
From I-90 take exit 18 to Highlands Drive NE. Turn onto Highlands Drive NE. Take the third right onto NE Federal Drive. Stay right as it merges into NE Park Drive. Travel 3/4 mile then turn right at the sign that says "Central Park". Travel 0.3 mile, passing the playground and taking the next left turn. There is plenty of parking near ball field #3 and the tennis courts. The trail is about 40 yards beyond (east of) the tennis courts. Please be mindful of the neighbors.