Tradition Lake Plateau
Wander family-friendly trails at the base of Tiger Mountain
Quick Facts:
Location: Issaquah Alps
Distance: more than 8.9 miles of trails
Elevation Gain: up to 250 feet
Contact: Washington DNR and City of Issaquah
Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books)
Notes: Discover Pass required; parking lot fills fast on weekends requiring street parking (permissible and no pass required, but be sure you are well off road and adhere to any no parking signs).
Trailhead directions: From Seattle follow I-90 east taking Exit 20. Turn right onto 270th Ave SE and then immediately turn right onto SE 79th Street and proceed 0.8 mile to High Point Trailhead and parking.
Good to Know: dog-friendly, kid-friendly, snow-free winter hike, interpretive signs, some trails wheelchair friendly
Enjoy more than eight miles of trails on the Tradition Lake Plateau within the shadows of Tiger Mountain. The area is perfect for an after work run or an all day hike. The main approach is via the High Point Trailhead, but the plateau can also be hiked right from Issaquah from various trailheads. Tradition Lake became a Natural Resource Conservation Area (NRCA) in 1994 thanks to the Issaquah City Council. These enlightened city officials wanted to have the city’s preserved lands managed in accordance with the abutting DNR NRCA. While this parcel is traversed by powerlines and a gas line, it also contains a couple of high quality kettle ponds, extensive wetlands, mature forest, and some old growth trees as well.
Have fun exploring the area on the following trails. The nearly level 1.5 mile Around the Lake Trail (the first half mile is ADA-accessible) contains interpretive signs and animal track plates along the way. This trail skirts 16-acre Tradition Lake’s west shoreline passing a good viewpoint. The Bus Trail is another good choice. The first 0.5 mile of this trail is also ADA-accessible and nearly level. Hike to the hull of an old bus lying on its side and being reclaimed by the forest. The old bus, believed to be a model from the 1930s was once used by logging companies to transport workers on the mountain. It was abandoned here in the early 1950s.
The Wetlands Trail is the most interesting of the Tradition Plateau trails. This 0.5 mile trail skirts 2-acre Round Pond and traverses wetlands where Oregon ash (rare this far north) grows. The lightly hiked Adventure Trail traverses tall timber and climbs a 660-foot knoll. It connects to the High School Trail which leads west to the Rainier Trail, an old rail bed.
The Swamp Trail is an enjoyable trail for children. It’s an easy path following the adventures of Zoe the raccoon through a series of panels. Children will learn about the swamp through Zoe and her wild friends. The Ruth Kees Big Tree Trail, named for a local conservationist is actually swampier than the Swamp Trail. Its biggest draw however are its big trees, including one gigantic Douglas fir, the largest and oldest on Tiger Mountain.
For more details on this hike and many others in the Issaquah Alps, pick up a copy of my Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books).
