Hike Route: Swamp Monster Trail > Big Tree Trail > Puget Power Trail > Around the Lake Trail
Note - The Mountain to Sound Greenway is doing work on the Swamp and Big Tree trails. The trails are open, but some parts are under repair. Also - I found the Big Tree and nearby Adventure trail somewhat overgrown (pictures below). So we decided to deviate from the traditional hike and follow the Puget Power Trail/Road to the Around the lake trail.
There are some missing/mis-placed signs along the end of the Swamp trail -- be sure to carry a map.
I found this hike in this book: Take a Hike Seattle: Hikes Within Two Hours of the City
I was looking for an easy hike to take with an out of town guest. The hike is very easy and really shows off the lower area of the Tiger Mountain Park. On weekends the parking lot is full, so folks park along the park entrance and walk into the park.
While I would grade this hike as "easy" -- it does have some rough bits and is over 2 miles long.
The Hike starts off near the entrance to the parking lot -- there are warning signs about the trailwork underway.
The swamp trail is a very gentle well maintained trail. Its fairly wide and they have started to install interpretive signs along the way.
You do hear the roar of I-90 on this trail, but soon it just becomes background noise as the trail gets deeper into the forest.
You really can't get lost since its not a large area -- but its easy to miss a turn and wide up with a much longer or shorter hike by mistake.
The new Big Tree Trail entrance..
The Trail here has been improved and in a much better location that the original closed trail.
Soon the trail passes the "Big Tree" with a great interpetive sign giving its history.
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Basics:
Area - Tiger Mountain (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - Green Trails map: Tiger Mountain 204S
Elevation - Gain of 100 feet
Length - 2 miles loop
Trail - Dirt trail, somewhat overgrown in places. Trailwork underway on parts of the route.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - A couple along the way: Tradition Lake, Big Tree
Getting There - Take I-90 to Exit 20. The Entrance is on the south-side of the freeway.
Fee- None, free parking
Other Trails - Many, all main trails are well marked.