Cougar Mountain Zoo
Cougar Mountain Zoo is an 11-acre (4.5 ha) non-profit zoological park located in Issaquah, Washington, on the north slope of Cougar Mountain about 15 miles (24 km) east of Seattle. It dates back to 1972. Worth the trip, Space Needle is 13 mi off.
A zoo & aquarium inside Issaquah
You can stay in Issaquah
Cougar Mountain Zoo is inside Issaquah, which has 9 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 66–77°. When to go ↓
An airport 10 miles away
King County International Airport - Boeing Field (BFI) has airline service, about 10 miles from Cougar Mountain Zoo.
Established in 1972
Cougar Mountain Zoo dates from 1972. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The climate here
Use the months below to time a visit to Cougar Mountain Zoo.
Cougar Mountain Zoo
Cougar Mountain Zoo is an 11-acre (4.5 ha) non-profit zoological park located in Issaquah, Washington, on the north slope of Cougar Mountain about 15 miles (24 km) east of Seattle. It is located near the border of the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. The zoo focuses on endangered species including lemurs from Madagascar, Bengal tigers, and endangered birds from various parts of the world. It was founded in 1972 by Peter and Marcie Rittler who operated it admission-free for its first 15 years. In 1990, the founders donated it to the Zoological Society of Washington which assumed the zoo's management and fundraising endeavors. As of 2009, Peter Rittler continued in the zoo's management.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Area
- 11 acres
- Established
- 1972
- Wikipedia readers
- 2.6K a year
Where to base yourself for Cougar Mountain Zoo
Lodging nearby is in Issaquah (9) and Seattle (201).
- 1Space Needle
- 2Lumen Field
- 3Climate Pledge Arena
- 4T-Mobile Park
- 5Seattle Underground
- 6Husky Stadium
- 7Lake Washington
- 8Museum of Pop Culture
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Cougar Mountain Zoo | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issaquah | in town | — | 9 5 hotels · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 39,423 | $963K | C− |
| Seattle | 13 mi west | 20 min | 201 148 hotels · 8 motels · 32 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 5 hostels · 1 campground | 784,777 | $939K | D− |
| Bellevue | 5 mi northwest | 5 min | 39 37 hotels · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 154,193 | $1,340K | C− |
| SeaTac | 13 mi southwest | 20 min | 49 39 hotels · 7 motels · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 34,578 | $520K | D |
| Tukwila | 11 mi southwest | 15 min | 24 23 hotels · 1 motel | 22,003 | $489K | D− |
| Renton | 7 mi southwest | 10 min | 15 13 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 104,975 | $673K | D |
| Redmond | 9 mi north | 15 min | 12 12 hotels | 82,506 | $1,168K | C |
| Kent | 13 mi southwest | 20 min | 19 11 hotels · 5 motels · 3 campgrounds | 134,871 | $588K | D |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Next door to Cougar Mountain Zoo
Every place here is under 14 miles away.
Big draw113 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw212 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw314 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
412 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Park
512 mi Ancient siteSeattle Underground
612 mi Stadium & arenaHusky Stadium
710 mi LakeLake Washington
813 mi MuseumMuseum of Pop CulturePhoto credits
Space Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Seattle Underground: Mark Hursh, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Husky Stadium: Atomic Taco, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Lake Washington: Maltesen at da.wikipedia, Public domain · Museum of Pop Culture: EMP|SFM, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cougar Mountain Zoo, answered
Is Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah?
Yes. It’s inside Issaquah, WA.
When is the best time to visit Cougar Mountain Zoo?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 66–77°.
What is the closest airport to Cougar Mountain Zoo?
King County International Airport - Boeing Field (BFI), about 10 miles away. The nearest big hub is Seattle–Tacoma (SEA), about 13 miles.
Where should I stay near Cougar Mountain Zoo?
Seattle (13 mi, 201 places to stay), Bellevue (5 mi, 39 places to stay) and SeaTac (13 mi, 49 places to stay).
Local tips in Issaquah
Share what you know in Issaquah’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.