Tradition Plateau Natural Resources Conservation Area
Managed by City of Issaquah
424 acres6.3 mi of trail
Swamp TrailBrink TrailAround the Lake TrailRuth Kees Big Tree Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Pickering Farm · Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Issaquah
28% of Issaquah’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 36 miles of mapped trail cross Issaquah, 3.0 per square mile of land. 28% of Issaquah’s land is conserved, about 2,163 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #4 of 285 in Washington. What drives it
Conserved land
28%
2,163 acres · of 12.1 sq mi of land
Trails
36 mi
3.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,235 ac
56 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
40 mi
18 mi lanes · 19 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
6 beaches · 9 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Issaquah?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Issaquah have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Issaquah is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #4 of 285 in Washington. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Issaquah’s overall grade.
Conserved land28% of the land · typical WA town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (36 mi) · WA 0.8 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land56 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,235 acres) · WA 11 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · WA 92% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Washington towns of 2,500+ (285)#4 of 285
Water is 8% of Issaquah’s area (1 of 13 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 26%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Tradition Plateau Natural Resources Conservation Area, with 6.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lake Sammamish State Park
Managed by Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
535 acres4.3 mi of trail
Issaquah Creek TrailHomestead TrailOrchard LoopBoat Launch Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Tibbetts Beach Parking LotWebsite ↗
Park Pointe
Park
83 acres2.3 mi of trail
High School Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area
Managed by Washington State Department of Natural Resources
55 acres1 mi of trail
Wetlands TrailAround the Lake Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Confluence Park
Park
16 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Hillside Park
Park
29 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Timberlake Park
Park
23 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Sammamish Cove Park
Park
19 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Tibbetts Beach Parking Lot
All 46 parks & preserves
Tradition Plateau Natural Resources Conservation Area424 acres · 6.3 mi of trail · City of Issaquah
DirectionsLake Sammamish State Park535 acres · 4.3 mi of trail · Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
DirectionsPark Pointe83 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area55 acres · 1 mi of trail · Washington State Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsConfluence Park16 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsHillside Park29 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Timberlake Park23 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Sammamish Cove Park19 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSquak Valley Park North13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGrand View Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Issaquah
Central Park58 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSalmon Run Nature Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHigh Street Linear Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTibbets Valley Park32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · King County Parks and Recreation
DirectionsVeterans Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBlack Nugget Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSena Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvey Manning Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSquak Valley Park11 acres
DirectionsIssaquah Creek Natural Area10 acres
Village Trail Park7 acres
DirectionsIngi Johnson Park5 acres
South Cove Park4 acres · South Cove Neighborhood HOA
Berntsen Park2 acres
DirectionsGibson Park2 acres
DirectionsSummit Park2 acres
Firehouse Park2 acres
Squak Mountain State Park1 acres · Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Meerwood Park1 acres · City of Issaquah
DirectionsAshland Park1 acres
DirectionsVillage Green1 acres
DirectionsHarrison Park1 acres
Sammamish Bluffs Residents Park1 acres
DirectionsLogan Park1 acres
Magnolia Park1 acres
Dahlia Park1 acres
The Woods HOA Park1 acres
Kirk Park1 acres
Sammamish Bluffs Tennis Court1 acres
Daphne Park1 acres
Westridge South Park1 acres
DirectionsWest Highlands Park1 acres
DirectionsWisteria Park1 acres
Blackberry Park1 acres
Freedom Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,163 conserved acres
28% of Issaquah’s land. Water is left out: Issaquah has 12.1 square miles of land and 1.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Issaquah’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,566 ac
State parks530 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits59 ac
State natural resources40 ac
County40 ac
Other state land6 ac
Local Conservation Area · 905 acLocal Park · 671 acState Park · 536 acConservation Easement · 59 acState Other or Unknown · 40 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 46 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 60 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Sammamish State Park | State parks | 529 | Open |
| Tradition Plateau Nrca Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 425 | Open |
| Talus Open Space Local Park | Town or city | 379 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 263 | Open |
| Park Pointe Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 101 | Open |
| Foothills At Issaquah Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 60 | Open |
| Central Park Local Park | Town or city | 50 | Open |
| Mccarry Woods Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Hillside Park Local Park | Town or city | 33 | Open |
| Timberlake Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
110 places to go in Issaquah
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Issaquah
Tibbetts BeachIn Lake Sammamish State Park
DirectionsPlus 5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Issaquah
Julius Boehm Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Issaquah
Bus Loop PlaygoundIn Bus Loop Park
DirectionsMcDonald's PlayPlace
Directions57 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Issaquah
3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Issaquah
9 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Issaquah
1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Issaquah
North Viewing Deck
DirectionsOverlook
DirectionsSouth Viewing Deck
DirectionsTalus Tree Fort
DirectionsTrail Head Vista
DirectionsPlus 10 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Issaquah
Tibbetts Beach Picnic AreaIn Lake Sammamish State Park
DirectionsPlus 12 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Issaquah
Hans Jensen Youth Group CampIn Lake Sammamish State Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Issaquah
Issaquah Community GardenIn Confluence Park
DirectionsSunset Walk Community Garden
DirectionsWestridge Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.2 miHorses · 1.0 miUnpaved · 26.0 mi
Squak Mountain Access Trail1.0 mi
Issaquah Creek Trail1.0 mi
Swamp Trail0.9 mi
Bear Ridge Trail0.8 mi
Brink Trail0.7 mi
Homestead Trail0.7 mi
Around the Lake Trail0.7 mi
Wetlands Trail0.7 mi
Bullitt Fireplace Trail0.6 mi
Orchard Loop0.6 mi
15 more trails
Talus Main Trail
0.6 miRuth Kees Big Tree Trail
0.5 miCedar River - Lake Sammamish Trail (proposed)
0.5 miBus Trail
0.5 miJoggers Loop
0.4 miCathy's Trail
0.4 miSouth Pond Loop Trail
0.4 miNook Trail
0.4 miBoat Launch Trail
0.4 miLong Wall Trail
0.3 miHigh School Trail
0.3 miShangri La Trail
0.3 miPeggy's Trail
0.3 miRainier Trail
0.3 miWest Tiger 3 Trail
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
40 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
18 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
19 mi
off-road bike paths
3.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
23Tennis
20Basketball
19Soccer
18Baseball
17Pickleball
7Tracks
5Lacrosse
3Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Issaquah: April to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.8 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 15.9 | 15.6 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| High (°F) | 47 | 50 | 54 | 59 | 66 | 70 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 60 | 52 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 5.8 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 4.3 | 6.4 | 5.9 |
July is the driest month (0.8 in) and August the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 6.4 inches fall in November, the wettest month. The climate in Issaquah →
Next door
Issaquah and its neighbors
Issaquah has the second most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in Issaquah
Where can I hike in Issaquah?
The longest trail networks: Tradition Plateau Natural Resources Conservation Area, 6.3 miles; Lake Sammamish State Park, 4.3 miles; Park Pointe, 2.3 miles; West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Issaquah is conserved land?
28% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Washington town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Issaquah’s trails?
Tradition Plateau Natural Resources Conservation Area and Lake Sammamish State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Issaquah?
40 miles of bike routes are on the map: 18 of painted or protected lanes, 19 of off-road paths and 3.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Issaquah?
47,201 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Issaquah or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,255 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Issaquah have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #4 of 285 in Washington. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Issaquah neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →