Tiger Mountain State Forest — Attraction in Issaquah

This is an amazing gem of a recreational forest just outside a major city. The mountain bike trails are some of the best in the region, and getting better by the day. Most of the trails on the mountain are off limits to all but hikers (some horseback access). There are only two things I don't like: the trail selections some hikers make, and the northbound exit of the parking lot. Second thing first: making a left out of the parking lot as people come hurtling over Tiger Mountain Summit on HWy 18 is scary. The speed limit should be 25 there with flashing caution lights, and possibly speed warning strips. Someone is going to die up there. The second times: The DNR partners with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance to develop mountain biking trails. There has been no point at which a hiking advocacy group or hikers have helped to maintain or build those trails. Tiger, Sauk, and Cougar Mountains are literally covered with 100s of miles worth of trails that are off limits to mountain bikers, while this small portion of the east side of Tiger was developed for mountain biking by mountain bikers. It's also the least accessible parking area relative to town...and yet, I still come across people hiking the MTB trails. Yes, the DNR partnership requires the trails be open to all users, but it's ridiculously unsafe to have hikers walking up committed downhill trails with multiple blind sight-lines, and features built purposefully as drops and jumps with fairly highly speeds possible. I'd like to see hikers make better decisions. As stated, there are miles and miles of trails. Why would you hike up any of the 5 MTB trails that total maybe 12 miles in length? "Legal" actions are not necessarily...

The mountain has six peaks in the center of the Issaquah Alps, forming a 13,500-acre (55 km2) triangle between Interstate 90 (I-90) on the north, Issaquah-Hobart Road on the southwest, and State Route 18 (SR 18) on the southeast. Immediately to the west is Squak Mountain followed by Cougar Mountain, to the southeast are Mc Donald and Taylor Mountains, and Rattlesnake Ridge. Tiger Mountain State Forest was established in 1981. In 1989, the entire Issaquah Plateauin the northwest corner was designated as a conservation area, the West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area, accessed by a large trailhead at Exit 20 on I-90. The most crowded trail leads to the bald summit of West Tiger #3, with a panoramic view of Seattle and points to the south and east. It is a 6.2-mile (10.0 km) hike, round-trip, with an elevation change of about 2,000 feet (610 m). The nearby peaks of West Tiger #2 and West Tiger #1 provide essentially the same view, but with fewer...

Great place for hiking biking and fresh air. While here, take a moment to stop and let the beauty of Mother Natures artwork wash over your senses. Air so fresh you can taste earth with every breath. As your eyes adjust to see the ever deepening detail of the forest, you can only guess at how many shades of green Mother Nature has in her crayon box, 10 thousand? a million? At first your ears are distracted by the sounds of your foot steps, when you stop and listen and absorb the dense and almost heavy silence, you get a tingle like you are listening to a great symphony, a symphony of silence. The air is energized with the pungent smell of both plant decay and fresh new growth reaching out in any direction that may afford them a possible spot that catches the life giving rays of the sun. Make sure to thank the universe for the amazing depth of beauty that is everywhere, if you...