Poo Poo Point Trail Updates
Named for the sound of long-ago steam whistles used by loggers throughout the region, in recent years Poo Poo Point has become a popular destination for hikers, nature enthusiasts and view seekers. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy fantastic views of Lake Sammamish, Squak Mountain, the City of Issaquah, and even Mount Rainier to the south. If your timing is right, a few paragliders may be seen taking advantage of the summer breeze.
For many years, the most popular and direct route to Poo Poo Point was by way of the Chirico Trail, which departs from the Poo Poo Point Trailhead on Issaquah-Hobart Road SE. In recent years, many people discovered they can also reach the viewpoint by way of the somewhat less steep, and only slightly longer, Poo Poo Point Trail, departing from Tradition Plateau.
The growing popularity of this trail prompted the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to undertake extensive maintenance and reconstruction to ensure it remains usable for many years. With funding secured, and through a partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, work began on trail improvements in the spring of 2021.
Working in partnership with DNR, the Greenway Trust contracted with trail builder Backwoods Contracting to relocate a highly erosive section of trail. This was followed by trail crews and volunteers completing finish work and additional improvements. Greenway Trust trail crew members, volunteers with Washington Trails Association, and crews from EarthCorps and Washington Conservation Corps all pitched in to gravel mucky sections, install drainages, and restore eroded and disturbed areas with native plants like sword fern. Work is expected to continue though the fall of 2021.
You can reach the Poo Poo Point Trail by starting from the High School Trail, from the end of SE Evans Street or along 2nd Avenue SE, or by the trail system on Tradition Plateau. Expect a 6.9 mile round-trip hike, under a welcoming and shady forest canopy.
