City of Newcastle Trails

Hike Length: Lake Boren Loop 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 400 feet
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Maps: Green Trails “Cougar Mountain” #203S, or IATC “Cougar Mountain”. The City of Newcastle has a good trail map that you can download from their website.
hike overview map


Hikers and horses have created an extensive network of trails around the Newcastle area in past years. The bad news is that rapid suburbanization is destroying much of the old network; the good news is that the Newcastle city government is beginning to take an interest in protecting and enhancing the remaining trails. Newcastle is easy to reach via bus M 240, and there are enough good things to see to fill out a whole day. May Creek Canyon, protected by a King County park, is particularly beautiful. A future trail network will connect Newcastle with the vast Cougar Mountain Park; sturdy hikers can do this now using a rugged existing path.

Getting there:

From downtown Seattle, ride ST 550 to to South Bellevue Park&Ride [GPS N 47 deg 35 min 12 sec, W 122 deg 11 min 28 sec].  Transfer to the southbound M 240 bus. The M 240 bus travels south out of Bellevue, passes through Factoria, then makes a slow, rambling traverse through suburban Newcastle. Get off at 69th St. and 129th Ave, near Newcastle’s small downtown business district [GPS N 47 deg 32 min 17 sec, W 122 deg 10 min 03 sec].

Bus service is good on weekends.

Lake Boren Loop Walk (4 miles)

Start by heading south on 129th Ave., which offers pleasant walking and little traffic. In a short half mile, just before the road passes the historic Newcastle Cemetery (no public access) go right (west) onto the signed Cross Town Trail. The trail climbs steeply up a wooded ravine, then levels out in a narrow green belt, where the trail crosses a gas line and power line right-of -way. Ignore two side trails that head toward street ends. Eventually the trail reaches a second, larger power line right- of-way, where the official Cross Town Trail goes right (north). To do the recommended loop, go left (south) along a trail following the power lines. Shortly, the trail rounds a fence encroaching onto the right-of-way, and reaches 80th St. Cross the street and continue heading south on the gated power line service road.

The service road climbs over a hill with good views of Mount Rainier, then starts a sustained descent into the valley of May Creek. In a long half mile, just beyond the point where the road starts dropping steeply downhill, go right off the power line right-of-way onto an unmarked but prominent trail, which plunges down the hillside to 89th Place. Go right onto the road, which here makes a sharp curve in the valley of Sylvan Creek and heads south. After a short distance, the road curves west, away from the power lines. Leave the main road here and walk on a paved driveway that ends at a black steel gate. Continue walking on the gravel road beyond the gate.

The area under the power lines once was an impromptu off-road vehicle park, where everything was churned up into a miserable muddy mess. Recently the city of Newcastle cleaned things up; hopefully, the place will stay civilized. Near a second gate, go right onto the signed May Creek Trail. This stretch of trail offers exceptionally fine scenery as it traverses the lushly forested slopes of the canyon on an old railroad grade. May Creek, one of the largest tributaries of Lake Washington, can be heard rushing far below.

This railroad grade is of considerable historic interest, because this was the route that trains used to carry coal from the Cougar Mountain mines to Seattle. The railroad was completed in 1878 and soon provided coal for a booming Seattle as well as the entire west coast of the United States. For many years coal was Seattle’s largest industry, and the population of Newcastle rivaled that of Seattle.

A half mile from the power lines, the trail leaves the railroad grade, climbs steps, and ends on suburban streets. Just before the steps, look for a steep, unsigned trail plunging down the slope to May Creek, which can be a difficult wade much of the year. This side trip is recommended for the adventurous only. On the other side of the creek, a trail system continues up the lovely canyon of Honeydew Creek almost to Sunset Avenue in Renton. Actually getting to Sunset is a real problem; unfortunately, there’s no good route. If you do make it to Sunset, you can catch the M 240 bus at Sunset and Union.

If you’re not attempting the Honey Creek side trip, return via the May Creek trail back to the power line right-of-way. The railroad grade trail continues up May Creek, although the starting point is slightly obscure. At the power lines, look for a dirt road crossing Sylvan Creek and heading toward a house with a horse barn. The dirt road looks like a private drive but actually is a public right-of-way. Next to the house, the railroad grade and proper trail resumes, confirmed by a sign. Follow the trail a pleasant half mile to a unsigned junction with the Waterline Trail, a wide grassy strip.

Go left (north) onto the Waterline Trail, and follow it as is crosses two paved streets and passes by the west edge of developed Lake Boren Park, featuring lawns, picnic shelters, and restrooms. Just north of the park, the Waterline Trail ends on 129th Ave, which you can follow back to the hike’s starting point and M 240 bus stop

Trails from Newcastle to Cougar Mountain

A continuous greenbelt extends from Coal Creek Parkway all the way to Marshalls Hill in Cougar Mountain Regional Park. Eventually, a good trail will be constructed on the greenbelt, providing a bus-friendly and scenic way for hikes to get to Cougar Mountain. Adventurous hikers can do this now using a rough existing trail.

From Lake Boren Park, walk out of the south end of the park, go east on 84th St, then north on Coal Creek Parkway, which features a newly-built pedestrian promenade on the east side. Cross the parkway at the 79th St intersection at a stoplight, and follow 79th east up the hill to the next intersection. Go right onto 144th Place SE, and follow it a short distance to a paved turnaround next to a church. Look for a crude trail heading east into the woods just north of the turnaround.

The trail, marked by many ribbons, climbs rapidly in a southeast direction through forest and brush, staying just below the crest of a ridge. Houses marking the south edge of the China Creek development are frequently visible on the ridge top. Side trails occasionally branch off up to the houses or down the slope to the valley below; stay on the one that heads in the correct SE climbing traverse. As elevation is gained, openings in the trees offer impressive views over the May Creek Valley and south to Mount Rainier. The dry south-facing slope supports a number of red-barked madrone trees, unusual so far from the Puget Sound.


The trail eventually reaches junctions with the new "Terrace Trail" (see following description) and a well- used horse trail coming up from private land below. Keep on heading east and/or uphill and you enter Cougar Mountain Park and its vast trail network.

Terrace Trail and Highlands Trails

A new trail, provisionally called the Terrace Trail, is under construction and will provide a great new link from Newcastle to Cougar Mountain. Although the trail is not complete, it is hikeable now. The Terrace Trail drops down from the ridge line near Cougar Mountain Park's southwest edge to "The Highlands" subdivision. This trail is quite scenic as it climbs a wild-forested hillside dotted with large, fern covered boulders.

The Highlands has its own trail system that is worth a visit. The main trail forms a lengthy loop around the subdivision. At the upper end of the loop trail, where it crosses a gated fire road, you are close to the start of the Terrace Trail (look on the hillside beyond a narrow paved road). Bus access is easy; there is a M 240 stop on Coal Creek Parkway, near the main entrance drive to the Highlands. The map link shows the location of these trails.

Getting Back

Catch the northbound M 240 bus on Coal Creek Parkway or on 69th St, and ride it to South Bellevue Transit Center. To get to downtown Seattle ,transfer to the ST 550 bus. 

Rev 12/5/05