New public lands coming to Squak Mountain

The public lands on Squak Mountain are growing! Recently, the Trust for Public Land and King County purchased 226 acres on Squak Mountain along SR 900 just south of Issaquah. The land was formerly the site of a historic car camp from the 1930s, and had been slated for logging and a housing development. The Trust for Public Land and King County stepped in to purchase the land to preserve the forest located between Squak Mountain State Park and King County’s Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.

“Our mission is saving land for people, and that’s exactly what we’ve done here,” said Paul Kundtz, State Director for The Trust for Public Land. “We’re very proud to have helped add Squak Mountain forest to King County’s publicly owned lands.”

Squak Mt. Forest
Squak Mt. Forest

King County is hosting a public celebration for these new lands on May 10. The event will feature brief remarks from local leaders and supporters, and guided hikes through the forest. The new acreage on Squak will be closed to the public until 2015 because King County Parks has some work to do to clean-up the property, remove infrastructure, establish trails, and ensure the property is safe for public use. The public event on May 10 is an opportunity to see the property and celebrate its acquisition before it is officially open to the public.

“Our partnership to protect Squak Mountain’s irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat is cause for celebration,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “I want to thank The Trust for Public Land and the people of King County on behalf of generations who will enjoy hiking, viewing wildlife, and other recreation in this forest.”

May 10 Event Details:

The event starts at 10 am and includes options for hikes of varying lengths through the property. Access to the celebration location is at 10610 Renton-Issaquah Road SE (State Route 900). For more information visit King County’s website.