Cougar Mountain Trails

I get so little green in Singapore that I have to seize all sunny days this trip to luxuriate in the parks in a cooler climate. Not about to waste the fine weather in King County. Hope summer won't be a scorcher. When we get a good stretch without rain, it means that the trails aren't sloshing about in mud. Best time to hit those trails! The slight elevation means that if you do a brisk walk or a run, you could get a pretty good workout.

Started at Red Town Trailhead and spent a day at the Cougar Mountain trails. Nice to be jogging through the lovely woods again. You could do a short walk to Coal Creek Falls, but within the area, there're plenty of trails to go on, and you won't get lost. Signs are clear and they loop around. Best of all, there's perfect LTE coverage on T-mobile in the areas. Heeehee. This is literally the park behind a beautiful residential estate and a golf course, but it leads all the way the Issaquah Alps.

Wondered if I would spot a bear. But there're no bears in Cougar Mountain. Maybe once in many years, hikers might sight a black bear that accidentally wanders into range. It rarely happens. There's Shy Bear Trail though. Heh. Remember to plonk on insect repellent, be aware of tiny bites and cuts, and most importantly, check for ticks.

The entrance to the old mine coal and an old mining cart behind.

Since we were gonna be on the trails for at least four hours, we packed lunch. The man secreted a gigantic oily turkey drumstick in his knapsack and gnawed on it along the way. o.O My snacks weren't as adventurous. I crunched on delicious raw sugarsnaps. When the hunger pangs hit, we found a random spot in the woods sit down for a bite. Shared a salmon sandwich and two giant cookies.

The trails were clearly marked and well pounded. The directional signs were everywhere; so the maps weren't quite necessary, but they're good to have if you like knowing where you're going. Sundown is about 8.45pm, there's plenty of time to make full use of the daylight.

Besides the lunch break that we lingered over, we also took time to pause and admire the nature around us. We listened to the wind rustle through the woods, and the trees and flowers whisper the beauty of the season.