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Middle Tiger

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain
47.4669, -121.9333 Map & Directions
Length
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
1,127 feet
Highest Point
2,607 feet
Calculated Difficulty About Calculated Difficulty
Moderate/Hard

Be aware of temporary intermittent closures of the trail through Fall 2024.

Photo by Skimpyphud.
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Old growth
  • Summits
  • Wildlife

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Discover Pass
Saved to My Backpack

A short trail on Tiger Mountain that makes up some of the Tiger Mountain Trail thru-hike. Continue reading

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Hiking Middle Tiger

Located only 20 miles east of Seattle and recognized as one of the nation's finest urban wildland trails, the Tiger Mountain Trail goes up and down through Washington's oldest state forest.

Nineteenth century settlers farmed the area nearby and began logging with teams of oxen in the mid-1800s. The logs were brought down the mountain on complex railroads and tramways, by way of elaborate switchbacks and trestles, to mills at Preston, Hobart, and High Point (do you recognize these names? Today, they're popular access points for the trail system on Tiger Mountain.)

Artifacts of those logging operations - such as heavy cables, cranes and remnants of old camps - lie scattered on Tiger, partly hidden by the undergrowth.

At 3004 feet tall, Tiger Mountain is the highest known peak in the range of peaks known as the Issaquah Alps. About 80 miles of hiking trails exist on Tiger Mountain, most of which were constructed and are maintained by dedicated groups of volunteers.

The Middle Tiger Trail is 11 miles one way, and traverses old forests and rocky balds, crossing several creeks and the Fifteen Mile Creek Canyon. The trail, accessible through most of the year, offers walkers a panoramic view, from the Olympic Mountains to the saltwater and lowlands of Puget Sound, and of the Cascade Mountains from Mount Baker to Mount Rainier.

Hike Description Written by
Multiple authors contributed to this report, WTA Community

Middle Tiger

Map & Directions

Trailhead
Co-ordinates: 47.4669, -121.9333 Open in Google Maps

Before You Go

Be aware of temporary intermittent closures of the trail through Fall 2024.

See weather forecast

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Discover Pass

WTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.

Getting There

From I-90, take exit 25. Head south on SR 18 to the Tiger Mountain summit. Here, turn right into a large parking lot. Drive through this lot, then turn left onto a gravel road. Proceed about a quarter mile to a second parking lot on the right. This one offers more room for cars.

More Hike Details

Trailhead

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain

Middle Tiger (#TIGER)

Washington State Department of Natural Resources

Guidebooks & Maps

Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Pass (Nelson -- Mountaineers Books)

Buy the Green TrailsTiger Mountain No. 204S map

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Middle Tiger

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