The parking lot and trailhead to the hiking path at Island Crest Park is located next to a large baseball field, where bathrooms buildings are available at the entrance. Other park features also include the nearby tennis courts located near the trail's beginnings, which is close to the road. Generally, the parking lot spaces at the park are usually empty throughout the daytime except when there is a sporting event going on. The hike is a short and simple nature walk that leads through roughly 1.5 miles of forested land in the middle of the Mercer Island terrain. As such, it is well suited for casual walks with dogs and other pets. Despite the dry heat of the morning summer weather, the moderately high and densely populated trees provide plenty of shade throughout the entire hiking trip. The majority of the trail's length is lined with a mix of dirt and gravel path in the forest, with no major obstacles in its way.

The trail's good condition is noticeably present due to previous trail work in the area, with large fallen trees and branches sawed away to make room for the hiking path. The forest itself is quite ordinary for Washington's natural landscape, with ferns and bushes covering most of the area on the trail's sides. There are a few wood bridges along the trail that close the gap over small streams that have been dried up due to the season as well. Later sections of the trail are less visibly maintained as others, with the hiking path becoming rocky and lined with exposed tree roots that have grown into the gravel trail. Wildlife at the park trail was seemingly absent, alongside the lack of any bugs during the daytime. The trail exits back to the parking lot and sports field through a set of wood stair steps at the end. 

Shady. Lots of trees. A bit rocky, but still passable. Highly recommend for kids and a furry companion.

Island Crest Park is a great place to get out and feel like you're in a forest on Mercer Island! It's almost like a ravine sloping down to the west, but it's not steep. You can find a little bridge and occasionally some creek-water and the trail is for the most part in supple condition (can you even describe a trail that way??) It's especially convenient because it's like a shortcut to 84th Ave. SE, which I love. Definitely go try it out!

Found this trail after seeing the overcrowding and not being able to get a parking spot at Luther Burbank and it ended up bring a great option. Saw one other person on the maze of trails that connect to the surrounding areas. We were able to see rabbits and birds throughout the trail. It was a great little area to stretch our legs and get outside for a bit. I would recommend it as an option in this area. 

Once a week, the kids and I go out in search of new playgrounds. Mercer Island is an area that we had not explored and when I found photos online of the playground at Island Crest Park, I knew I had to take the kids. For those of you who aren't familiar, there is a large concrete lizard used as a slide here! It is pretty cool! In addition, there is a nice, modern playground nestled in the woods. 

After playing here for a while, the kids and I took some snacks and hit the trail that is described in the trail description. It is pretty accurate!

I am sorry to report that at this point, there is still not a new suspension bridge over the ravine. The two poles are there but the ravine is grown up in this area and no bridge. 

The portion of the trail that leaves the woods and picks back up in between two houses is also something I feel compelled to write about. The entrance to the woods is easy to spot and it does squeeze in between two properties. One of them has a nice fence on the right which contains... a LARGE AND LOUD DOG! It scared the crap out of all of us when we walked in and the dog assaulted the opposite side of the chain link fence. Just beware... 

The trail itself is well maintained and I imagine it is well used by residents of the neighborhood judging by the well worn trail surface and lack of overgrowth. A wide dirt path with ample roots to step over adorn the entire trail. 

Today we saw a lot of small wildflowers and made for a nice pop of color in the woods. 

Definitely not a hike destination, but if you happen to be in the area with your kids or whatever, it is a peaceful escape from the city with lots of big trees to make it feel like you are a little further from civilization than you really are. 

An early start from Seattle, and not far to go. I-90 east, but just to Mercer Island, Exit 7B, then south three miles to Island Crest Park. It's a new urban greenspace for me, with a promise of some trails. (I did download a map from www.mercergov.org/files/trailsICP.pdf and found it helpful.)

From the main parking lot I took the forest trail heading northwest, turned right at a junction, looped around the head of a ravine and continued north next to a schoolyard fence.

Then it was down a few rustic steps to the streets (SE 53rd Pl and Landsdowne Ln,) and back into the park on a narrow official trail heading south between back yards.

Then down a bit more and across the moist ravine on a low board bridge, then uphill slightly.

At a trail crossing, a short side trip to the right dead-ends where a stairway descends between two metal posts, and a sign beside the trail reads "Be Careful - Suspension Bridge - slippery when wet." But there is no bridge, at least not today, and the ongoing trail just ends in a prickly swamp.

So I retreat to the main trail and continue on south. At a three-way junction I take the left-most route and head uphill. At the top, and after a few stairs, I dodge around the rest room building and take the path south behind the ball field, heading for the "Trail" sign.

Then it's down a few stairs and a turn to the right, and that takes me back to the three-way junction where I head left and cross the ravine on a low wooden bridge.

At the next junction I head left again. That's the start of a quick loop out to 84th Ave SE, with a block north along the street then back into the park on a trail that returns to the junction.

I head left there, and soon pass the metal posts at the "other end" of the non-existent suspension bridge. At the next junction I do another loop out to 84th Ave SE, this time with a return on a trail that has some good views down into the ravine that's much deeper here.

Finally, I have to backtrack some short sections of trail that loop around, approach my first suspension bridge side trip, then head back uphill toward the parking lot.

These park trails wind through some fine forest. The usual Douglas fir and red cedars, some of them fairly large, and alders and maples that all are fully leafed out. There is a lot of moss, particularly near the ravines.

The trails all were in good condition today, with no significant mud and no blowdowns.

I saw very few wild flowers today - just occasional ocean spray, foxglove, avens and miner's lettuce. There were a few ripe thimbleberries.

I saw, and heard, a group of four jays chattering high up in the tree tops, and I heard a few racous crows, saw a robin or two plus a few smaller birds. No critters appeared for me today.

I had very little company on the trails today, and encountered just one other hiker and two joggers.