Lake Sammamish State Park High Point sits along Issaquah Creek. The park views south at Cougar Mountain, Squak Mountain, and Tiger Mountain. Meanwhile, in the northwest corner spans the seven-mile-long Lake Sammamish.
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Lake Sammamish State Park at a Glance
Access: southwest parking lot
Round Trip: 5.1 miles
Elevation Range: 0′-15′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Homestead Trail to Issaquah Creek Trail
The spur-of-the-moment plan brought me to Lake Sammamish State Park mid-afternoon. I started from the southwest parking lot and soon went on Orchard Loop. It’s been over a decade since I last set foot inside the park.
Despite the open space, the unmarked side trails could quickly turn the place into a maze. After savoring south views in the clearing, I turned onto Homestead Trail. Then I went through some brush by Issaquah Creek.
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Lake Sammamish State Park High Point
A man was taking photos by the muddy trail, where there looked to be a missing footbridge. We chatted before I went around to the path above the washout. Soon, I was in the open by a bench and a facility shed.
The trail continued south under the bridge southeast of the park. Instead, I crossed from the sidewalk to Issaquah Creek Trail on the other side. Shortly, I returned to the open forest and walked past the park’s modest high point.
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Otel Island Viewpoint Plus Exit
At the next fork, I turned onto Boat Launch Trail and took a short break by the dock. The beautiful lake looked like the hang-out spot for the seagulls and mallards. I backtracked to the fork before walking down by Otel Island.
The brush over the trail soon forced a reroute through trees to the shore. Before Sunset Beach, I soaked in the lake view and bird sounds. Then I went through the picnic area to finish the loop under a dimmed sky.
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