Tiger Mountain Ramble from Preston to Issaquah


Hike Length: 7.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 1000 feet
Hike Difficulty: Moderate’
Map: Green Trails 204S “Tiger Mountain” or IATC map of Tiger Mountain
hike overview map


This hike makes a long traverse through the thickly forested north slopes of Tiger Mountain. There’s not much in the way of long views, but the forest scenery is entertaining in its own right. The stars of the show are the dozen or so wonderful creeks that the route crosses, especially when water is running high after a good rain. This hike is ideal in poor weather (when there are no views anyway) or when the higher parts of the Issaquah Alps are snowed in.

Due to the large scale of the Tiger Mountain wilderness and the complexity of the trails, carrying a good map is absolutely essential. You’ll need good navigation skills to do this hike successfully. Some trails on this route are faint and signage is missing from many junctions (although the sign situation has gotten much better).

Getting There:

From downtown Seattle, catch the ST 554 bus from Second and Union (departs every 30 minutes) and ride to Issaquah Park and Ride [GPS N 47 deg 32 min 32 sec, W 122 deg 03 min 44 sec].

There, transfer to the M 209 minibus, departing every hour. The bus goes through downtown Issaquah, then onto I-90 heading east. Get off at the Preston Park&Ride stop, just after the bus leaves the freeway at Exit 22. You can shorten the walk by asking the bus driver to let you off at the stop sign that the bus first reaches after exiting the freeway (even though there is no bus stop there). [N 47 deg 31 min 35 sec, W 121 deg 56 min 24 sec]

Weekend Note: There is no M 209 bus service on Sunday

The Hike:

Walk south over the freeway overpass, cross the on-ramps(be careful, this area has a lot of traffic) , then turn right (northwest) onto Preston Way SE. Walk a shy half mile until you come to the signed trailhead on the left side of the road. If you reach the Dept. of Transportation facility on the left, you’ve gone about 100 paces too far [0.5 miles, 520’].

Follow the trail until it makes a short, steep climb onto a power line right-of-way. Turn right (W) onto the power line trail and follow it as it travels over undulating terrain and passes by some houses equipped with the usual barking dogs. Despite the presence of the power lines, it’s not an unpleasant walking route. After passing the last house, the trail start to climb steeply. Look for the poorly marked Preston Trail taking off to the left toward a wall of trees; there is a sign indicating the trail junction[1.1 miles, 640’].

Turn left (S) and follow the Preston Trail into the woods. The forest is second growth, but has aged so well that it is starting to take on the primeval quality of an ancient forest. The trail crosses a creek on a huge log, then makes a steep, switchbacking climb onto a ridge with a surprisingly level top, elevation 900’. The walking is easy for a while as the trail follows the ridge. Eventually, an unsigned junction is reached with an informal and unmapped trail coming up from Preston houses; follow the “official” Preston Trail as it turns sharply right, passes a pretty little pond with a cedar stump in the middle, then reaches a major, unsigned junction with Dwight’s Way [1.6 miles, 980’].

The trail heading left (uphill) is the continuation of the Preston Trail and leads to many great destinations. For this hike, continue straight ahead (W) on Dwight’s way, which climbs at a moderate rate to junction with an alternate version of the Preston Trail[1.8 miles, 1140’]. Continue ahead on the signed Dwight’s Way trail.

The next section is a delight as Dwight’s Way rambles through a magnificent second growth forest. There’s lots of little ups and downs, but little net elevation is gained. A series of delightful creeks are crossed, each offering an irresistible invitation to take a break. This is a trail to take slowly, to sip the scenery like a fine wine. Eventually, another (unsigned) junction is reached with the Lingering Loop trail [2.4 miles, 1100’].

Go left (uphill) on the Lingering Loop, which climbs at a moderate rate through more deep forest and soon intersects the Tiger Mountain Trail, called the TMT for short (2.6 miles, 1260’). Go right(downhill) on the TMT, shortly reaching a junction with High Point Trail. Continue following the TMT, as it drops down a bit more into the valley of High Point Creek, then turns upstream to a crossing of the main branch of the creek. The crossing is accomplished via a huge wooden bridge, which reportedly cost $20,000 and was lowered in by helicopter. The creek is a loud and sizable rush of water, at least during the rainy season, but the use of a bridge of this size does seem like a bit of overkill.

The trail climbs steadily out of the High Point Creek valley, then crosses a creek on another one of the large, expensive bridges [3.3 miles, 1500’]. This stream tumbles down a deep ravine in a series of cascades. It’s an exceptionally pretty spot here, one of the finest places on Tiger Mountain. A short distance beyond, the hiker reaches a second large bridge spanning a brook cascading down a slope thick with ferns and devil’s club.

Past the twin bridges, the TMT makes a level traverse north on a steep, deeply wooded slope (this bit of trail is dubbed “Anschell’s Allee”), before cresting a ridge and dropping steeply down in many switchbacks to a junction with the muddy and steep Cable Line Trail. Heading straight up the fall line, the Cable Line appeals mainly to physical fitness junkies and should be ignored by sane hikers. Continue on the TMT as it descends some more before leveling out on the wooded flatlands of the Tradition Lake Plateau. Just past a gate, a junction is reached with the busy Tradition Trail, the main route to Tiger Mountain for most hikers [5.1 miles, 520’].

Continue the hike by turning right (N) on the wide Tradition Trail, then turning left on the Bus Trail a short distance later. The smooth and level Bus Trail, designed to be wheel chair accessible, passes a junction with the Nook Trail before reaching the wreckage of the namesake bus. There’s not much left of the old Greyhound Scenicruiser, just a rusted frame. Just beyond the bus, the wheelchair trail bends north; turn left onto the unsigned but obvious trail heading east, which is the continuation of the Bus Trail.

The trail passes through some deep coniferous forest before breaking out onto the grassy swath of a gas pipeline right-of-way. Just beyond the swath is the intersection with the Bonneville Trail, located on a power line right-of-way [5.9 miles, 500’]. Turn left (south), and follow the Bonneville Trail past an unsigned junction with the Section Line Trail. After all of the forest hiking, this stretch may feel wonderfully open and sunny; there’s even a bit of a view up toward Tiger Mountain. The trail turns west past the Section Line junction, re-enters forest, and becomes the High School Trail. After passing a junction with the Adventure trail [6.4 miles, 500’], the High School trail begins a steady descent down a forested slope before reaching the edge of Issaquah High School’s athletic field and an unsigned but obvious junction with the Issaquah-to-High Point trail [7.1 miles, 160’]

Turn left (S) on the Issaquah-to-High Point trail, which utilizes and old railroad grade. The trail swings around the perimeter of the high school grounds, then reaches a trailhead parking lot, 2nd ave SE, and the end of this hike [7.4 miles, 160’]. Bus stops are conveniently on both sides of the road; cross the street and use the one on the west side.

Check your M 200 bus schedule. If the bus is not arriving within 15 minutes or so, you may as well continue hiking along the trail, which here becomes a wide, paved promenade heading into the bright lights of downtown Issaquah. More M 200 bus stops can be found along Front Street.

Getting Back:

Take the M 200 bus, leaving downtown Issaquah every half hour, to Issaquah Park&Ride. Note that there is no weekend service for the 200 bus. On both weekdays and Saturdays, you can also take the M 209 from downtown Issaquah (leaves hourly).

To get to downtown Seattle from the Issaquah Park&Ride, take the ST 554 bus.

Rev 02.12.07