Squak Mountain: the State Park in the Issaquah Alps
View of Mount Rainier from Debbie’s View on Squak Mountain. Photo courtesy of Kim Ngo.
By Kira Telgen, IATC Program & Volunteer Coordinator
Situated between Tiger and Cougar Mountains, Squak Mountain is the only state park within the Issaquah Alps. One of the larger state parks in Washington and the second-largest state park in King County, Squak Mountain is comprised of 1,545 acres and features three peaks. The highest of these, Central Peak, stands at 2,024 feet tall. It features 13 miles of hiking trails and 6 miles of horse trails.
History
The state park falls within the traditional territory of the Coast Salish people, on lands that were ceded under duress in a series of treaties in the 1850s. Its name, Squak, originates from the Southern Lushootseed word sqʷásxʷ.
After the land was surveyed in the 1870s, the bulk of it passed into private ownership through homesteading. The discovery of coal seams on the mountain, along with general demand for access to the west, encouraged the establishment of railway lines on the southern half of the mountain. Throughout the early 20th century, the two mines on Squak Mountain, the Issaquah & Superior Mine and the Richmond-Harris Mine, became the primary employers in the city of Issaquah. In the 1920s, some logging on the mountain began, primarily to assist in the production of railway ties.
The Bullitt Fireplace. Photo courtesy of Washington Trails Association.
Making a Park
Among those who inhabited and recreated on Squak Mountain in the 1940s was Stimson Bullitt, heir to a timber and broadcasting fortune. Over time, he collected nearly 600 acres of land on the mountain and eventually established a two-room cabin for his family to vacation in. When this land was passed on to his three children through the family trust in the early seventies, they chose to donate the 590 acres to the Washington State Park and Recreation Commission, with the stipulation that the land be used as a wilderness park free of automobiles, horses, and manmade structures or roads.
With this generous gift, Squak Mountain State Park was formed in 1972. Over the years, the footprint of the park has nearly tripled in size from the Bullitt family’s initial 590-acre donation, thanks to generous donors, the Trust for Public Land, WSPRC efforts, and programs like the Trust Land Transfer Program. Notable additions include the 364 acres added through the Trust Land Transfer Program in 1993 and the Section 9 Parcel, which brought over 300 acres to the park in 1996 through the Trust for Public Land.
The Section 9 Parcel, from the 1992 fall issue of the Alpiner.
IATC Hikes and Restoration Efforts on Squak Mountain
Squak Mountain holds a special place in IATC history. Our first hike as an organization was a 3-mile stomp on Squak Mountain led by Bill Longwell on June 6th, 1979, just a couple of weeks after the organization’s first meeting. Dave Kappler, a standing IATC Board member, led his first hike with the organization on July 14th of that year, an 8-mile jaunt on the mountain. Over the years, IATC members have enjoyed hikes all over Squak, whether it be up to the old Bullitt fireplace, Debbie’s Way, or one of the mountain’s three peaks.
The IATC’s relationship with Squak isn’t limited to trail building and informational hikes, however. Over the years, the Issaquah Alps Trails Club has collaborated with Washington State Parks to lead restoration events on Squak Mountain to eradicate invasive species and repair trails. Our most recent efforts have focused on clearing debris and repairing trails impacted by the bomb cyclone that hit the greater Issaquah Alps area this past November.
Damage on Squak Mountain after the 2024 bomb cyclone, courtesy of Suzanne Kagen.
Management and Funding as a State Park
As a Washington State Park, Squak Mountain and the rangers charged with its stewardship rely on funding from the state biennial budget. To supplement funds provided by the state, the Discover Pass was founded in 2011. For $30 (increasing to $45 as of October 1st, 2025), users of Washington state parks, monuments, and recreation areas can enjoy and access our public spaces via vehicle while funding the crucial staff and resources needed to keep trails, trailheads, and conservation areas thriving.
How You Can Support Squak Mountain and WA State Parks
There are so many incredible ways to support our Washington State Parks system. Perhaps the most straightforward is by purchasing a Discover Pass and recreating responsibly. Direct donations to the Washington State Parks Foundation and encouraging your representatives to continue to advocate for funding for state parks are also helpful. Or if you’re not afraid of a little dirt, volunteer! You can check out the Issaquah Alps Trails Club’s upcoming restoration events here.